Welcome to The Tech Savvy Writer!
I’m James Gill, an author and technogeek who loves helping people succeed with technology. I started The Tech Savvy Writer to help writers like me understand and use the powerful tools now available to write, publish and market their work.
From Amazon.com to .zip files, from finding great writing software to connecting with your audience, The Tech Savvy Writer aims to be an authoritative, thought-provoking, entertaining and inspiring resource for any writer looking to thrive in the changing and challenging new era of publishing.
In your book How to Get Started as a Technical Writer, you advise against getting tech writing training from a community college. I just completed my AA from Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, MI (I had earned a BS several years before) and found it to be a very valuable program. I would recommend that anyone interested in improving their skills to investigate all the resources available to them rather than dismissing the ones that aren’t the most prestigious. In addition to technical writing, I learned 9 relevant software applications, project planning, document design, web coding and usability, graphics, and statistics; we also had a chance to work as a team, to conduct informational interviews, and interview SMEs. I’d say that’s very valuable.
Hi Bridget,
Thank you. Those are all good skills–but they’re not critical for getting started as a technical writer, and that’s what the book is (hopefully) about.
And my advice about community college wasn’t about prestige–it was about pragmatism. For folks looking to get started in the field, I’ve found (for almost twenty years, with few exceptions) that earning a two-year degree in the subject is a slow path and rarely makes them more competitive in the marketplace. In other words, the worth of a two-year degree in technical writing, I’ve found, is nowhere near the time and financial outlay it requires.
But. If you liked the courses you took, then I say–good! I hope it leads to good things.
Strange that I’ve seen many job descriptions requiring or desiring experience with web coding, usability, FrameMaker, RoboHelp, Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite (specifically InDesign). I didn’t learn any of these technical skills while earning my BS degree, but did when in my AA program. Just saying.
To address your point about getting started, I’ve noticed there are very few entry level positions out there. A few internships pop up, but not much else (and these only last a few months). You have to freelance and/or find odd contract work to build your own resume. I would suggest those breaking into the field get as many technical skills as possible. The reality is that employers want these skills. You won’t get a permanent position without them.
Thanks for your feedback, Bridget, I’m grateful. It’s good food for thought for the next revision of the book I expect to release later this year.