Through my blog, I receive a lot of questions from users. I’ve seen the same questions numerous times, so I’ve decided to compile a list of answers to those questions and add a link to them on my contact page. These are the 10 most frequently asked questions about technical writing: 1. What technical writing Continue Reading »
Tag Archives: careers
Professional Technical Writing Careers — Answers to Questions, by Cheryl Landes
Technical communication professors often ask students to interview a professional technical writer to get a better sense of the field. The following responses are from Cheryl Landes, a professional technical and marketing communicator. Cheryl owns her own company, Tabby Cat Communications. The questions come from a student at Missouri State University. What preparation did you have for Continue Reading »
Q&A: What should my major be for a career in technical writing?
I received the following question from a reader: I’m a 20 year old college student and I just finished up my first year at a local community college and I was wondering what my major should be if I want to become a technical writer when I eventually graduate. Right now my counselors have me Continue Reading »
Join the LDSTech Blog Project and Write Articles for Your Portfolio
If you’re looking for an opportunity to get some writing experience, consider joining the LDSTech Blog project. LDSTech is a site focusing on IT projects from the LDS Church for volunteer community members. For example, some projects have the goal of building an iPhone app, or making sites more accessible, or coming up with infographics. Continue Reading »
Will We Still Know Us, Tomorrow?
This is a guest post by Michael Hobren. Michael is a technical and “marcom” contract writer, as well as a fictional novelist. He resides with his family in the Tampa, Florida area. As a technical writer, I don’t think my late father ever quite understood what I do for a living. I would try to Continue Reading »
My Comments on “Best Careers 2011: Technical Writer – US News and World Report”
If you haven’t seen it yet, check out Best Careers 2011: Technical Writer – US News and World Report. It doesn’t amaze me that technical writer is listed in the top 50 careers. Technical writer appeared as a top 50 career in 2006 and 2009 in CNN Money. Each year there’s a lot of controversy about the description, Continue Reading »
Technical Writing Is More Than “Click This, Select That” [Podcast]
Download MP3 Length: 50 min. This is a presentation I gave at BYU Idaho last week to students interested in entering professional writing. For the accompanying slides, see this post. For the overall question I was trying to tackle, see Students Contemplate Whether a Technical Writing Career Will Be Fulfilling.
Why Tech Comm Is a Career Path of Last Resort for Students
While on my trip to BYU Idaho last week, I had an epiphany about why tech comm will always be the career path of last resort for students. As you recall, one of my desires was to open students up to the possibility of a career in tech comm, not as a sellout/fallback career, or Continue Reading »
Technical Communication Careers: Getting Started and Finding Your Niche (BYU Idaho Presentation)
Tomorrow I’m driving up to BYU Idaho to give a presentation titled “Technical Communication Careers: Getting Started and Finding Your Niche.” It’s part of their annual Pre-Professional Writing Conference for English and professional writing students. I like to go because I have an old colleague up there who teaches English (we spent 2 years in Continue Reading »
Substandard Wages for Technical Writers: A Growing Trend?
This week’s question comes from Mary in New York: I am a loyal reader of your blog and have gained more from it than all the seminars and continuing ed courses I’ve taken–which cost me a good chunk of my salary. Recently, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend which I hope you might consider blogging about. Continue Reading »