John Said:

A few (very short) questions about a technical writing career?

We Answered:

I'm trying to break into this industry too; I've been applying and interviewing for a year now.

It's usually a temp job, or else you're just contracted for certain projects. You're going to have better chances in bigger cities. Basically, any company that needs instructions and documentation to go with their products will need a technical writer, often times also referred to as a documenting position. Software companies are where I'm mostly applying because I have an IT background and minor.

Experience is something I'm struggling with also; you can't get experience if you don't have it, it seems. But that's true for any industry. Try finding a small company near you and ask if they could do an internship for you. Or try working for a local newspaper.

Good luck!

Vicki Said:

Technical writing?

We Answered:

technical writing is an excellent field, go for it.
best way is to train yourself. read as many manuals as possible, study the language, presentation style, formatting etc. then you need to master the software like MS Word, Visio thoroughly - use style sheets, etc. (for starters, even their freeware alternatives like Open Office and dia will do.) only more requirement (if you're headed towards IT sector) is to write Help related info for software. so you can look at the Help content in various software. With all this, and if your language is good, you're ready for an entry level position....
hth, Ram

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