atw: Re: Suggestions for getting a start as a Technical writer
- From: Lana Brindley <lanabrindley@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:47:49 +1100
On 22 October 2010 10:53, Shumona Roy-McKean <shumonar@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi Tech writers
>
> Looking for some advice/tips on becoming a technical writer. I have a
> graduate certificate in journalism from UTS and have written short articles
> for 'The Australian'. I currently work in the area of research/knowledge
> management and in the course of my roles have written business stategy
> documents/proposals that have been mainly finance and technology related.
>
Do some courses and stuff if that's what you want to do. In the meantime,
apply for every tech writing job you can find. Seriously. Even if they say
you need experience, apply for them anyway. If you can prove you can write
(most technical writer jobs will ask you to do a writing test of some
description), then there's a chance they'll hire you. (By the way, where are
you located, and would you be willing to move for the right job?)
>
> I am interested in broadening my skills to becoming a full time technical
> writer and would like your thoughts/suggestions on how to best go about
> doing this and getting that first job as a technical writer!
>
>
If you want to write technical stuff, sign up for a documentation project
such as floss manuals[0], and start writing. If nothing else, it'll give you
experience in writing that kind of document, and it'll also mean you have
something to point to when they ask what you've written. As an extra added
bonus, many companies take 'community participation' seriously.
Best of luck!
Lana
[0] http://en.flossmanuals.net/
--
Cheers! Lana
Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right.
- Isaac Asimov
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