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How Do you Become a Technical Writer?
08-03-2007, 09:49 AM
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#1
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,483
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How Do you Become a Technical Writer?
Just curious, is anyone on here a technical writer? What training is needed?
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Consult with your own advisor or representative. My thoughts should not be construed as investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results (love that one).......:)
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08-03-2007, 10:03 AM
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#2
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Pasadena CA
Posts: 3,346
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I work at a technical place (NASA) and know a bunch of technical writers. The key is the writing part. Fresh out of college writing & journalism would be good, recently saw a gal hired with a degree in anthropology. Its good to understand the technical side a bit but its not like a patent lawyer where you need to be fully up to speed. The key is taking the info and presenting it in a way that non technical (or less technical) people can follow it. And one other thing, meeting schedules!
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T.S. Eliot:
Old men ought to be explorers
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08-03-2007, 10:31 AM
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#3
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 12,880
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Once when I was having trouble getting programming/consulting jobs I took a technical writing job writing a manual for a high-end video editing device. I think they hired me mainly because of my technical knowledge, because they didn't know much about my writing. I was referred by someone I had worked with before.
My point is that in some cases the technical skills might be what get you the job, though I'm guessing that's unusual.
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Al
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08-03-2007, 12:20 PM
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,125
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My megacorp usually hires technical writers under the Business System Analyst label. We need people who can understand the process and write about it. We look for both business and English degrees. The last person we hired had a masters in History but had done requirements gathering before.
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Angels danced on the day that you were born.
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08-03-2007, 12:24 PM
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#5
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: west bloomfield MI
Posts: 2,223
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yes I am a technical writer. One way to get here is be a technical instructor for 8 years, then change career paths. I am an engineer by degree, CAD Instructor by experience.
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Light travels faster than sound. That is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak. One person's stupidity is another person's job security.
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08-03-2007, 02:06 PM
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#6
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 207
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"I work at a technical place (NASA)...."
NASA....
Hey... be careful at Happy Hour. 
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Can eat with either hand.
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08-03-2007, 02:53 PM
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#7
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso)
Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,483
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 Quote:
Originally Posted by Joss
"I work at a technical place (NASA)...."
NASA....
Hey... be careful at Happy Hour. |
__________________
Consult with your own advisor or representative. My thoughts should not be construed as investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results (love that one).......:)
This Thread is USELESS without pics.........:)
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08-03-2007, 04:12 PM
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#8
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,603
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Why would anyone want to be a technical writer?? They're the first to GO ... my mega corg laid off the entire department in the early 90's and told the engineers to step it up. Much easier to be a techincal writer with a technical background.
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