From Techie To Tech Writer

[ModoReese]

Hi all, I really hope I'm not recycling old conversation here, but I'm seeking opinions and thoughts from technical writers about making the leap from techie to tech writer.

I'm currently working as a Network Analyst, but I've taken a bit of a turn into a position that is a split between actually troubleshooting networks and creating and updating documentation. I'm going to be moving up the chain shortly and I seem to see two paths - delving further into technical writing or continuing to work as a network guru.

Is it truly a one or the other split? If I break off and concentrate on technical writing now, am I risking losing my edge as a network analyst? Can one make the jump back and forth, or is that too schizophrenic? I began my working career as a writer and have only recently become a techie... I find it odd (amusing) I keep drifting back towards the writing side, but I want to have realistic expectations.

What sorts of jobs have you taken as a techincal writer? Are they usually freelance, contract, or full-time positions? Is there a broad range of projects you have done?

Thanks in advance for any tips, thoughts or examples you can provide.

Michelle

[Roger J Carlson]

Network guru will ALWAYS pay more than technical writer. I gave up a career as a Certified Netware Engineer for database development. DB work pays less and is less glamorous (some places) but I got to hate networking, so I guess it really depends what you want to do.

[worthyadvisor]

I'm struggling with this issue myself, except for me it's going from QC in biotech into tech writing. However, I notice in my field, technical writing is really hot. That's mostly because biotech is really heavy on regulated documentation for the FDA. Most of the jobs I've seen are in-office, but I'm hoping to negotiate some work-at-home at first. The industry here in California seems more apt to do things like that.

I don't know if that's helpful, but I think it depends on what's hot in your field. *shrug*

[Tsu Dho Nimh]

QC biotech! All those reports!

If you know the QC and are a half-decent writer, you are in demand. Volunteer to write a couple of reports and WALLAH you is a technical writer.

[worthyadvisor]

QC biotech! All those reports!

Tell me about it! Don't forget the single-cross-out-initial-and-date thing, too! I knew I've been in QC too long when I started doing that on post-it notes!


If you know the QC and are a half-decent writer, you are in demand. Volunteer to write a couple of reports and WALLAH you is a technical writer.

Huh. That's why my boyfriend told me, but I was thinking it might be worth it to go back to school for a certificate a) so I can get some current tech writing skills and info and b) to be more marketable since I don't have samples of writing I can actually give to people (seeing as they are all property of the companies I wrote them for!). But maybe I should just see what I can move in to here, and then branch out later....

[ModoReese]

Thanks for the input. To me it's not about the money (beyond the point of making enough to survive on). I've learned over the past few years that if I don't enjoy what I'm doing, no amount of money is enough. So to stay in networking purely because it might pay more isn't a solution for me.

It's funny, I've also run into a lot of documentation for FDA stuff recently - we support two pharmacuetical networks. I always thought *I* was detail oriented, but geeze, some of the FDA docs had me ripping my hair out (forms being rejected because someone dated the doc with "July" instead of "Jul").

I'm in a heavy oil and gas town, beginning to think I should start looking into that......

Michelle

[Tsu Dho Nimh]

I was thinking it might be worth it to go back to school for a certificate a) so I can get some current tech writing skills and info and b) to be more marketable since I don't have samples of writing I can actually give to people (seeing as they are all property of the companies I wrote them for!).

I often list things like this

Rewrote process specifications and created illustrated work instructions for LCD and microdisplay manufacturing lines. Interviewed process technicians and engineers to collect correct information about the process. ISO 9000-compliant. (internal, confidential)

Wrote system manual for UNIX-based Internet firewall. ( internal, confidential)

The words "internal, confidential" mean the documents will never be seen by anyone outside the company. I've never had anyone ask to see them, or even blink when I have a year or more of work with nothing I can show.

Give enough information that they can tell what kind of writing it was, and don't worry about having examples.

[worthyadvisor]

The words "internal, confidential" mean the documents will never be seen by anyone outside the company. I've never had anyone ask to see them, or even blink when I have a year or more of work with nothing I can show.

Give enough information that they can tell what kind of writing it was, and don't worry about having examples.

Ahhh...ok..thanks! Sounds like when I was writing my resume. (I had a great recruiter who helped me a lot.)

Michelle: How anal the FDA is depents on the agent(s) you're dealing with. Some agents won't care if you put July or Jul, some will pour over your docs with a fine tooth comb, and some will be all over the data only. Sometimes if feels like you are waiting for the right planets to align!

[evangoer]

I often list things like this
The words "internal, confidential" mean the documents will never be seen by anyone outside the company. I've never had anyone ask to see them, or even blink when I have a year or more of work with nothing I can show.

Give enough information that they can tell what kind of writing it was, and don't worry about having examples.
True, nobody should be asking you for samples that are proprietary/confidential. And of course, it's very common for tech writers to work in places where everything they produce has to stay private. Anyone who hires tech writers will be understanding about this.

On the other hand, nobody in their right mind hires a writer without seeing *some* writing samples.

- If you have some proprietary / confidential work under your belt, and you are leaving that employer on good terms, you can ask your employer to work with you to create some "sanitized" samples. Sometimes they'll say yes, sometimes no.

- If you are just starting out and you have no samples to speak of, write a brand-new doc that covers some technical topic that you know very well. For example, if you're a network engineer, you could write a tutorial about TCP/IP. It doesn't matter if others have covered the subject hundreds of times before -- you just need to be able to demonstrate that you write clean prose, you can assemble technical topics together logically, and that you know how to adjust material for a particular audience.

Good luck!

[ModoReese]

Just to update... Last week I approached my management about stepping away from the technical and moving into a documentation role (part time). They readily agreed as long as I agreed to also take on creating training materials for new employees (perfect since I'd like to explore curriculum and educational writing eventually.... and as long as I didn't my hours until sometime early next year.

This nice option here is that once (if) I'm ready to move back into network support, they're willing to move me into the position I was slated to start before. Of course the whole point of me cutting my hours and moving into tech writing is because I want to expand my writing work (I completely blame Absolute Write forums for that! ;) ).

BTW, one suggestion made to me about building a body of work when you haven't worked in tech writing previously is to work on Open Source projects - there's always a need for documentation and you can really hone your skills. I'm planning on looking into that ASAP (I'm also fortunate that a bulk of my current docs are for a network that's going away, so soon those documents will be invalid and hopefully I can use them as examples).

Michelle

[Tsu Dho Nimh]

BTW, one suggestion made to me about building a body of work when you haven't worked in tech writing previously is to work on Open Source projects - there's always a need for documentation and you can really hone your skills.


Good idea ... the OSS stuff usually needs improvement :(

[ModoReese]

Any place in particular I should look first? :D