Technical Writers in the Industry?

kungfooswade asks: "I am getting ready to graduate soon with my CS degree but I want to hedge my bets on finding a job and will be starting a masters degree, as soon as I am done. I am considering a masters in professional writing, so I can be qualified for technical writing positions, or just going back for a masters in CS. I am curious about the following: (1) what are the general opinions of programmers on technical writers; (2) is there someone out there who has first-hand experience in technical writing who can tell me about the work and their experiences; (3) what software is used mainly in the process; and of course (4) what seems to be the average pay? I would like to diversify my education, so that I won't be searching very long if layoffs come around. All comments and suggestions are appreciated."

Comments

OP: My opinion

[Glonoinha]

(1) What are the general opinions of programmers on technical writers;

Newbie programmers look down on technical writers with distain, the same distain they have for anybody that writes HTML and calls it programming.

Experienced programmers LOVE technical writers because we hate writing the documentation and are happy to have you do it for them. We will generally bring you cheesecake.

(2) is there someone out there who has first-hand experience in technical writing who can tell me about the work and their experiences;

It requires that you be able to work as a go-between the hardcore techs and the mouth breathing users - so you must be able to relate to and work in terms that either understands, at various parts of your work. Note that there isn't a lot of crossover between the two.

(3) what software is used mainly in the process;

Microsoft Word. And some application that converts Word docs into help files.

(4) what seems to be the average pay?

No clue, sorry.

From a MS/CS and a published writer...

[xanthan]

The opinion of a bunch of programmers should not concern you in the least bit. The opinion of a bunch of hiring managers should!

If you're going to go for a MS and you're open to non-CS degrees, consider an MBA but don't go after a writing degree. If an MBA isn't your cup of tea, go for the MS in CS.

That said, definately work on your writing skills. This will open you up to a lot of opportunities outside of writing code including sales, marketing, management, and yes, tech writing. Of course, if you want to stick to the engineering side of the world, you'll get a lot more respect from both your peers and your management if you can effectively communicate your ideas. This means being a proficient writer as well as someone who can give a presentation.

Not comfortable with writing? You can start with some classes. I would recommend creative writing over english courses since you'll actually get a lot more practice and feedback in creative writing. If you go for the MS/CS, there is nothing stopping you from taking undergrad writing courses at the same time. Follow that up with taking on some writing projects such as some documentation for an open source package -- there are a lot of HOWTOs out there that could stand some time and attention. Not sure how you can improve them? Go back and read well-received books and try to understand what it is about them that made them so accessible. (e.g. the author took the time to explain the big picture and then followed up with a good example and explained all of the commands/parameters in detail.) Of course, don't forget that with an MS/CS, you'll need to write a masters thesis that can easily turn into a 80-100 page document. (My thesis was 128 pages!)

Best of luck...

Does it Matter?

[orbbro]

I just finished getting an AS degree in CS, and I added on a certificate in professional writing, figuring, like you do, that I could leverage my background as a writer and offer diverse skills to a potential employer.

What I learned from writers in the industry who came to talk to our classes:

1. "Technical Writing" is now more appropriately called "Technical Communication" and includes, beyond the stereotypical software manual: business & marketing communication ("marcomm"), information design, corporate training & curriculum development, online communications, single-sourcing (think XML!), and even, by some definitions, web design. See the Society for Technical Communication for more info.
2. If you want to succeed in the world of private industry with a "soft subject" degree such as tech/professional writing, you should take a handful of writing classes to brush up on your skills, but skip the MS degree and get an MBA. Most job titles like "technical writer" are being phased out for titles like "project manager" or "business analyst." In short, your writing skills are going to be put to use secondary to your people management and other "soft" skills.
3. Tech writing in the tech fields -- engineering & CS -- is being outsourced and shipped overseas just like the tech jobs. You might be better off learning Chinese, Hindi, or Russian if you want to do serious tech writing for IT in the next decade. That's where all the "how to use your cell phone/PDA/laptop books are being written. Red Flag Linux HOWTOs, anyone?
4. The job market for tech writers is almost worse than that for high tech, because tech writing for IT is dependant on the success of IT companies. When you're an IT company that's on the ropes, the first thing you forego in getting the next product to market is high-quality documentation (if you were planning to use it in the first place). Half of the ~600 self-identified tech writers in the Portland, OR area are currently un- or under-employed in this market. Yes kids, that's 50%.
5. Salary: While the bestest writers can command near 6-figure salaries or more, they're working 60-80 hours per week, just like the IT people with those salaries. Writing has a lot in common with coding, in a way -- lots of prelim. design and planning, lots of computer time, and lots of "debugging" (except it's called revision). And there are few if any shortcuts to making a good end product.
6. Tools: because you asked. RoboHelp, Adobe FrameMaker, and, sad as it is, MS Word, are the main tools for the job. Knowing XML, HTML, Dreamweaver, Flash, and the like can also be helpful, depending -- this field is as specialized as the computer world. The technologies you know define your job. For more ideas, check out the trainings offered at a local tech. comm. consulting firm.

So, the bottom line is:

You may have as much trouble getting a tech writing job as a newly-minted coder would; your job might be as specialized and ever-changing as a coder's job; you're better off with an MBA; your job might be sent overseas; and, instead of using your favorite IDE, you might get to use Word, instead. ;-)

Oh, and I forgot: because there are fewer of them, and their role is often misunderstood, you will possibly be less appreciated than the programmers.

Have fun!

-->orbbro.