How many types of technical documents are there? Most articles online don’t list them. They mention guides, manuals, and procedures without connection to an audience. Other articles address specific subjects (e.g., “software documentation”). Another way to look at documents? By intended audience. The following categorizes document types by audience. DOCUMENTS FOR NON-TECHNICAL AUDIENCES Most technical documents …

The 3 types of documents in technical writing (with examples) Read More »

SME, pronounced “SMEE”, is an acronym for “Subject Matter Expert.” If you work as a tech writer, you’ll hear this term (sometimes pronounced: “S-M-E”) a lot.

1) Focusing on a Full-Time Position We all know the ideal partner doesn’t exist, that life does not follow a Disney script, but many of us persist in the illusion that a perfect partner-for-life is out there somewhere. Likewise, we often persist in believing that a perfect full-time position awaits us that will nourish our …

9 Common Mistakes When Seeking Your First Technical Writing Job Read More »

Introduction This is my take on a nearly 10-year-old post, “​Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions,” (About Technical Writing) by Tom Johnson. Most of what Tom says in his original post is valid today. His blog, I’d Rather Be Writing, is the most visited blog by a technical writer. (My online course was featured not too …

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Introduction Not all technical writers understand contracting. Some have always worked as employees. They’ve never had to review a contract or even understand what goes into one. Even if they’ve hired contractors, they’ve encountered only a slice of the contracting lifecycle. The following is based on my 20 years as a technical writing contractor in …

The Insider’s Guide to Becoming a (Contract) Technical Writer Read More »

Are you new to technical writing and want to advance your career? This list might save you some unnecessary frustration and aggravation. Find the tone patronizing or condescending? It shouldn’t be, especially if you understand one thing. These 11 items reflect issues I personally experienced when I began my career over 20 years ago. I …

11 Rules for New Technical Writers Read More »

Who am I? As a long-time contract technical writer in New York City, I’ve interviewed about 70 times. When I began, I had no clue what questions to ask. Back in 2000, the (contract) game was slower. The process, simpler. But new technical writers today seem as clueless about contract technical writing as I was (over …

9 Questions Tech Writers Should Ask Before Signing a Contract Read More »

Get Started with These Essential Links for Technical Writers Jump into Technical Writing with 15 Links PS: A hands-on, real world technical writing course. Jump on the wait list: becometechnicalwriter.com WORD PROCESSORS • microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/word (Yes, it’s antique, but it has the best templates and some companies still rely on it for many documents. See below, “Microsoft …

15 Essential Links for NEW Technical Writers Read More »

New to Upwork? This article shows you how to avoid the traps on Upwork and make money writing Upwork is the largest freelance community in the world. Like any enormous community, it has its pitfalls. Why does Upwork get a bad rap among writers? One of the main reasons is that writers new to Upwork fail …

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If you want to become a technical writer, or you are a new technical writer, this article might help. You could crack open a grammar book and feel childish. Or, you can use this grammar reboot. It might provide some needed clarity and help improve your writing. One acronym that has been key in my …

Grammar Reboot for New Technical Writers Read More »