Why did you become a technical writer? Some move into technical writing by accident (me!) while for others it was part of their career path.  I spoke to some technical writers about this recently. Here’s what I learned.

How to get into technical writing

1.    By Accident – Karen started in journalism and discovered technical writing by accident. She felt that technical writing suits people who enjoy communicate and learning new stuff. If you like/love technology, you’re half-way there, if not, chose another field.

2.    Out of Manufacturing – after 10 years in engineering, another colleague saw the ‘writing on the wall’ as the US began to lose its manufacturing jobs to China, India, and Eastern Europe. Moving into technical writing proved an exit route. However, as technical docs are now getting off-shored, she’s considering moving into another field, possibly teaching.

3.    Career Choice – new technical writers (especially in India and China) have decided on Tech Comms as a career and taken the appropriate degrees, such as English, Communication and, in some cases, Journalism.

4.    Career Change - JP did a postgraduate in biology and moved into technical writing as it allowed her to combine her daytime job (technical docs) and real passion (travel writing).

Technical Writing (tech comms) is a very hot field in India, offering an attractive career for university graduates. Think Silicon Valley, late 90s and you get the idea.

How I became a technical writer

I started as a programmer (anyone remember Cobol? Fortran?) but was moved into tech docs during a downsize. I studied computer science in university and though the move at the time seemed a backwards step, it’s served me well.

Coding didn’t suit me. I signed up as others did at the time without understanding the field.

Remember, I’m from a very small town in the west of Ireland so the career advice we got wasn’t the greatest. Most teachers had no experience on PCs in the 80s. What they suggested was based on what the Dept of Education recommended.

So, for me personally, it wasn’t the smartest move but  it opened others opportunities later. I landed many contracts because I know how to write code and run simulations. Most other English majors could write (way better than me) but had limited technical skills.

Since then I’ve lived in the UK, US, Amsterdam and China, so it’s worked out quite well. I have some concerns for ‘old school’ writers who don’t always see the shape of things to come.  You need to keep moving forward in this industry or risk getting left behind.

One last thing

India has an advantage as its education system values/prioritizes maths, while most all young Indians speak English.  So, it’s a terrific combination. China, in contrast, lacks these language skills. So, the focus there is on development.

India is going to get stronger and stronger, especially if the government fast-tracks infrastructure development.

US technical writers will lose their jobs to India. I can guarantee it. It’s a done deal.

But…

There are tremendous opportunities for those who have the gumption to move there and help develop this industry.

India lacks experienced writers, projects managers and team leads. If you have these skills…

UPDATE – I had some comment by email. Most seem to have moved into tech docs by design. However, quite a few are now saying they to move out again to find work.

What careers do you think are open to them?

By the way, 3 of these emails were from people outside the large metro areas so contract options are very thin. Any ideas?

Do you have a degree in technical writing or technical communications? Was it worth the money? If you had a second chance, would you have chosen this or opted for another career path?

One of my younger cousins has started her degree in university in Limerick, Ireland. Not the place most of us think of as the heart of technical writing. But, for Microsoft, Google and IBM this university has provides a conveyor belt, producing freshly minted technical writers every four years. It’s one of the few universities in Europe with a specialist degree in Technical Communications.

But, here’s the problem.

Ireland Plc is dead. So, is most of Europe.

Students taking a degree in technical writing / tech comms now read about layouts in the IT industry most every week. Actually, you don’t notice it any more.

The recession has become background noise.

Once they graduate, they’ll have to:

• Leave for the US to find work – is this smart?
• Up-skill and go for a Masters — makes sense but expensive and no guarantee of employment
• Move sideways into another field — possible but defeats the purpose of taking the degree in the first place
• Move to India or Asia — setup a technical writing firm there and/or work as a liaison between the US and Asian offices.
• Dropout?

This is what’s happening now. Why study for 4 years when there is no end goal?

I think this is a mistake, but it’s easy for me to say. Their careers are already at a premature crossroads.

Next week, I’m back in Ireland.

What advice would you suggest I give these students?

Stay the course or find something else?

PS - The University of Limerick courses are listed here.

Knowledge is power. Knowing the daily rates of others in your industry helps you negotiate fees and get a better deal.

I’ve worked in the US, UK and now here in Asia and have seen a vast difference in the rates that writers work for.

Some of my friends in India work for $15 per hour, which works for them, while I know others in the Bay Area that are down to $25 per hour. Quite a drop as they were on $60 only 12 months back.

So, what’s the Daily Rates for Technical Writers in your area?

I don’t want to know what you’re on – none of my business — but for those looking for freelance work or breaking into contracting, how much should they ask for?

A few considerations when pitching your daily rates:

• Location – London is more expensive than Dallas, so you can charge more. Maybe not.
• Years of experience — you can use this as a bargaining chip to justify your work
• Subject matter expertise — as above, if they need your expertise, then you can squeeze a little
• Benefits (unlikely)
• Length of contract — in general, the shorter the higher.

If it’s a 1 month contract, I usually ask for 20% more than I would usually charge.

Why?

It disallows me taking up longer contracts and I’ll have to start looking for a new contract (my problem, admittedly) before this one even begins. I try to avoid anything less than 10 weeks.

What else should technical writers consider when looking at their daily rates?

How much would you work for, if really pushed? And, if you can’t get this, what’s the alternative?

Sarah O’Keefe (Scriptorium) discusses STC’s new dues structure: Dues are going up; Printed publications are no longer included in basic dues; No chapter or SIG membership are included in the basic dues.

She adds that while reaction is largely negative, she finds value from her STC membership and gives some examples and reasons to join/stay with the STC. I have to confess that I disagree her on most all points.

STC gives Sarah a channel to attract new customers; many prospective customers find her at STC organized conferences. For example:

“During an STC conference a few years ago, I was approached by representatives of a government agency to discuss a major project. (I found out later they had attended my session to see if they wanted to talk to me. I apparently passed that test.) That meeting resulted in a new customer and over $250,000 in revenue for Scriptorium.”

Why join the STC?

Sarah gives several reasons why you should join/stay with the STC.

Here’s my thoughts:

1. If STC succeeds, you are more likely to find jobs that pay well because your work is respected.

I honestly don’t see how the success or failure of the STC has any material impact on my career. I’ve never joined the STC and managed to work for Intel, IBM and others for almost 20 years.

If the STC closed, would technical writers across the planet get their marching orders or see a cut in salary? Don’t think so, tbh.

Re: your work is respected.

I think this depends on the company and people you work for.

STC membership doesn’t automatically earn you any respect, certainly not with the negative perception surrounding the STC, i.e. out of touch and broken.

Most HR and IT Managers are not aware of the STC and rarely if ever mention it in interviews.

2. You are less likely to be the first person laid off in a downturn.

Why?

Most HR Managers make their decisions on budgets, cutback and other factors.

It would be great if this membership gave an extra layer of protection but the reality is that if you’re going to get laid off, all the certs, degrees etc in the world don’t make one iota of difference.

3. You are less likely to find job postings that include general office work among technical communication tasks.

Not sure what this is about. Most job postings I see for technical writers don’t include ‘general office work’, which I assume means admin tasks.

You are less likely to be replaced by another, less skilled, less expensive writer.

Read this s l o w l y.

• We made cut-backs to the technical writing dept in my last company; most of the technical writing tasks were shipped out to Poland and India.
• These guys and girls were less skilled and less expensive.
• Actually, the last 3 months at the place was spent up-skilling the offshore team.
• The company needed to reduce costs, full stop.
• The quality of the tech docs is not great but the share price is up. Analysts are positive regarding the company’s stance on ‘fiscal controls’.

4. If technical communication is valued, your work is less likely to be viewed like a commodity.

Now this is an interesting point. Is it valued?

Most of us who write for a living value the written word —that’s why we’re here, right? —but not everyone shares the same enthusiasm.

You could also replace ‘technical communication’ with any other job title and make the same argument.

• If software development is valued, your work is less likely to be viewed like a commodity.
• If quality control is valued, your work is less likely to be viewed like a commodity.
• If network admin is valued, your work is less likely to be viewed like a commodity.

Links:

A mercenary view of STC: http://www.scriptorium.com

Broken STC Model http://www.idratherbewriting.com

Bill Swallow http://techcommdood.com/?p=309

Final Thoughts

Going back to Sarah’s point about drumming up work at events.

My take on the STC and other groups, for example, LinkedIn, is that their value is in proportion to what you put in.

The more effort you make, the greater the returns.

Those that make an effort to ‘use’ the STC (in the best possible way) are likely to see their careers blossom.

If you sit on your hands, then nothing is likely to come your way.

What do you think?

Is the STC value for money?

Many IT professionals, technical writers included, have seen their salaries frozen or reduced over the past 18 months. Contractors are suffering the same fate as short-term projects dry up.

However, several of my colleagues have managed to move out of technical writing and into other, better paid lines of work. Here’s a roundup.

How to Get Out of Technical Writing and into Better Paid Jobs

1. Proposal Writer

I’ve worked in this area in the UK and it can be very well-paid. To get involved in proposal development, read up on procurement and government funding. This area requires writers with strong editing skills as you’ll often need to blend contributions from different authors into the proposal document. It also requires the ability to trace requirements (i.e. to ensure that your proposal matches the requirements in the request for proposal.) Proposal writers are found in a wide range of organizations, such as central and local government, health service, education, financial and legal sectors and NGOs (non-governmental organizations).

• Seven Steps toward a customer-centric proposal – [Read More]
• Are you proposing a solution or a product? Which one never sells? [Read More]
• Golden Rules before starting your proposal [Read More]

2. Web Content Manager

This role suits technical writers who’ve been exposed to markup languages, content management software, and Web 2.0 applications. To capitalize on what you already know, get some books on content management policies, practices and systems so that you have a deeper of the principles, theories, concepts, and standards in content management.

Note: The median expected salary for a typical Content Manager in the United States is $77,048.

• Get Published To Get Ahead – Websites will achieve maximum value when they focus on the tasks of their customers, not the technology or content. [Read More]
• Write to be Scanned – Users Don’t Read On the Web – Recent research identified that users don’t read on the web, they tend to scan. This means that when you are converting documents to the web, you need to make them as scannable as possible. [Read More]
• Web Writing Tips – Keeping content fresh is a major challenge for every web publisher. In addition to managing the technical, business, marketing, administration aspects of the web business, you still have to find time to update your web content on a regular basis. [Read More]

3. Information Architect

Again, this role suits writers who have crossed over into web technologies and want a more specialized career. Job opening for this type of work is limited as it is very specialized. However, those who do manage to establish themselves can expect very attractive contract/consultancy work. The web is hardly going to go away. Investing in Information Architecture is worth considering. Skills in defining business/technical specifications, defining metadata, and developing workflows and mappings will get you an interview.

• Role of the Information Architect The Information Architect often doubles up as the Project Manager; capture the sites design goals; communicate the business objectives, such as the sites sales targets, audience, and language requirements. Role of the Information Architect
• Difference between Usability and Information Architecture – Though the terms Usability and Information Architecture are often understood to be the same thing, this is not true. On the web, this involves reading text, labelling items, creating navigation systems, searching for data, using content and so forth.” Usability and Information Architecture
• Creating User-Focused Site Designs – For your site to succeed, arrange the content around the users needs. Before any coding starts, gather, sort and organize your content. The more time spent on this, the more success visitors will have on your site.” User-Focused Site Designs
• What is Information Architecture? This emerging field has become more prominent in recent years as websites have grown increasing complex and users demand more friendly navigation systems. Information Architects organize content, such as text, labels, graphics, and shopping carts, so that users can understand the sites content and do things faster on the site. What is Information Architecture?

4. White Paper Writer

Michael Stelzner has probably done more than anyone to raise the profile of white papers in the last 10 years. His site is a huge success and offers many tips for those considering moving into this area.

Likewise, his bestsellers on writing white papers are an essential investment if you want to fast-track your career. Perry Marshal (http://www.perrymarshall.com/whitepapers/) is another gold-mine of information.

• Grow Your Business by Writing White Papers – Recently we discussed the effectiveness of white papers in generating business. You might be interested in the following statistics, as they illustrate the returns you can generate from a well-crafted white paper.”
• How to Structure Your White Paper - In the IT industry, the white paper has become a popular tool for promoting a product or service. It is frequently used in tandem with case studies, and other sales collateral, to promote a company’s respective product of services. In this brief article, we will outline a suggested format to use when writing your white paper.
• Tips for Writing White Papers – Klariti show you how to write an effective white paper that gets your company noticed – and the pitfalls to avoid if you’re new to this areas. [Read More]
  

5. Medical Writer

This area will suit writers who have worked for pharmas or in the medical industry. There are many overlaps with technical writing, though knowledge of procedures, policies, and the R&D cycle for drug development are all a bonus.

Where do I start?

If you want to move out of technical writing, or even consider it, then it’s time to start doing the groundwork. This means reading up on the specialist areas, doing a course if possible, and also seeing where your skills match these areas.

For example, I know that there are many roles for medical writers in Europe, especially France, Ireland, UK and Switzerland, as the pharma companies have large R&D firms there.

So, technical writers in this corner of the world, might focus here.

In the US, there is more web work. Nonetheless, those who develop a track record in online editing and/or web content management will, I believe, earn more than technical writers in the long run.

Why?

Technical writing is started to get outsourced more frequently to India, Poland and other offshore companies. Once those jobs get out-sourced, they don’t come back.

Those are my thoughts. Here are some books I’ve bought regarding these areas.

Books Worth Reading

• Writing Winning Business Proposals
• Request for Proposal: A Guide to Effective RFP Development
• Information Architecture: Blueprints for the Web
• Writing White Papers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged
• Secrets of a Freelance Writer, Third Edition: How to Make 100,000 a Year or More

Writing roles in RFP development, grant writing, and medical writing all require local/national knowledge. This type of knowledge is harder to out-source, especially the government projects.

Maybe I’m wrong.

What do you think?

Daily rates for technical writers are down to $30 per hour in some places in the Bay Area. Recent articles on other technical writing sites suggests that daily rates for technical writers is collapsing in the US, in particular the west coast, as more writers struggle to find roles that match their previous salaries.

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TECHWR-L (tech-whirl), the oldest site that I know for technical writers, highlights the case of a technical writer who’s been in the industry for 10 years and been jog-hunting for six months.

When asked what he thought where the tech docs industry was heading, his reply was, “it’s a race to the bottom”.

12 months ago, he left a high-paying tech writing job to travel but returned six months later, and looked for work. So far, nothing.

Daily Rates for Technical Writing in California

His only job offer to date was for $30 an hour.

Some recruitment sites quote $40-$60 an hour as the industry standard.

I know that when I last worked in the states, late 90s, the rates were $40-$60 per hour, and that’s almost 10 years back.  It’s hard to believe that now, ten years later, and factoring in inflation etc, daily rates are almost half of this.

Daily Rates for Technical Writing in Bangalore

According to a tech writer in Bangalore, the going rate in India is $10-15 an hour.

Link: http://www.techwr-l.com/node/1205

Tomorrow’s World

My concern for US writers is that they fail to grasp the momentum that counties like India have established and the high quality of university graduates they are now producing.

Also, the upturn in the recession has given a false sense of hope. Some that I’ve spoken to feel that the worse has passed and normal service (i.e. job stability) will be resumed.

As someone who works in Asia, and is seeing at first hand the juggernaut that is hurdling down the motorway, the race to the bottom has only started.

In the next 10-15 years, IT jobs which can be replicated offshore/offsite to lower costs will be embraced more aggressively. US companies have little choice but to do this.

The challenge for technical writers

The question for technical writers and others in this industry is how to approach this.

One suggestion would be to setup consultancy services in places like Bangalore, Vietnam, and Poland where the talent is there but the experience is lacking.
Experienced technical writers, who are willing to travel and embrace a new challenge, could do very well in these countries.

Staying at home may not be an option.

What do you think?

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