Chapter 1: How to Be a Technical Writer
Michael P. Belfiore, Writing and Editorial Services
This guide is intended as a resource for people who are interested in becoming contract technical writers. It may be distributed free of charge, provided it is distributed in its entirety, with this notice included. You may wish to visit the following web site where this article also resides, along with other information about Mr. Belifiore's services: www.belfioreandkagan.com
Contract Writing Explained
Pros and Cons of Contract Technical
Writing
How to Break In
How to Write a Good Technical Manual
You and the IRS
Resources for Technical Writers
Technical Writing
Explained
Technical writing is any writing that explains how to do something. The operator's manual
for your VCR, the instructions for filling out your tax forms, and this guide are all
examples of technical writing.
Technical writers collect information on the procedures they document by interviewing designers and users and by learning the procedures themselves.
Who Hires Technical Writers?
There are four main industries that most commonly hire technical writers:
Since I work in the computer industry, this guide is most directly related to working in that area.
Contract Writing
Explained
A contract writer is usually hired by a company on a per-project basis, either at an
hourly rate, or a flat fee for the project. A contract or letter of agreement is drawn up
between the writer and the company describing these terms. When the contract is fulfilled,
the writer is free to negotiate new contracts with other companies or with the same
company, or take time off. For more information about contracts, see Negotiating Contracts.
All technical writing done on contract is "work for hire," meaning that it becomes the sole property of the company that hires the writer.
Pros
and Cons of Contract Technical Writing
I became a contract technical writer because I was tired of working dead-end, low-paying
jobs that allowed me no time to pursue my other interests. I also can't stand office
politics, and I don't work well on a 9-5 schedule.
Contract technical writing is perfect for me because:
Contracting isn't for everyone. Here are some other points to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to become a contract technical writer:
How to Break in
Part of breaking in is determining whether or not you actually want to be a contract
technical writer. Educate yourself as much as you can about the profession. Finish reading
this guide. Read technical manuals and picture yourself writing them. Use the resources
listed in Resources for Technical Writers.
Most of all, schmooze.
The Importance of
Schmoozing
Schmoozing is one of the most important skills you can acquire as a contractor.
Fortunately, it is a skill you can acquire.
Schmoozing is one of the best ways to gather information about the profession generally, and about the market you're aiming for specifically. Find technical writers you can talk to about what they do. Most people are flattered to talk about their work. Ask them what industry they work in. Are they employees or contractors? Don't be afraid to ask them how much money they make. Other technical writers are your most important resource for determining what to charge your clients.
The single best place to schmooze is at meetings of the Society for Technical Communication (STC). These occur monthly in your area. See Resources for Technical Writers for STC contact information.
Practice looking and sounding like other technical writers. Go to an STC meeting and note what the other writers are wearing. Try to pick up the jargon they use. How do they use words when they speak?
Above all, carry yourself with confidence. Don't ever talk yourself down. When schmoozing, always mention matter-of-factly the qualifications you do have, and keep quiet about anything that detracts from that. Here's an example of what I mean:
Instead of this,
"Um, I haven't actually written a real user's manual...er, ah, well, sometimes I used to leave instructions for temps at this bank I once worked for. Does that count?"
Say this,
"I've written user documentation for Midwest Federal Reserve."
When you're asked to elaborate, chuckle and say, "Oh, these were novice users--people who didn't even know how to use a mouse. I mean, I had to explain everything, including how to turn the computer on! How do you deal with challenges like that?"
Finding a Market
Most technical writers specialize in a particular industry, and specialize further within
that industry. My specialty is computers. Within that industry, I specialize in writing
software manuals. I enjoy working with computers, and my geographical area
(Minneapolis/St. Paul) has a strong software market, ensuring a steady supply of
work.
Look to your own experience and interests to find an industry you would like to work in. Also, find out what markets are strong where you live, and consider whether or not you would like to relocate.
Qualifications
You don't need a degree to be a successful contract technical writer. You don't need a
background in your chosen industry. This is all you need, in order of importance:
Notice that writing ability is at the bottom of the list. This is because writing standards for technical writers are actually quite low. If you can write simply and clearly, you're ahead of the game. (See How to Write a Good Technical Manual for more information).
The Tools You Need
If you plan to work at home, you need a good desktop computer and laser printer, and the
popular work processing/desktop publishing software. If you don't have a computer and
can't afford to get one, you must know how to use the popular software so that you can
work on your clients' computers.
If you buy a computer, get the model a notch below the very best. The premium you have to pay for the top model isn't worth it, but its a good idea to buy the best technology you can reasonably afford. You should get 4-5 years of good service out of it with upgrades.
In my industry and market right now, Personal Computers running Windows 95 and Windows NT are the standard. Microsoft Word for Windows and RoboHELP hypertext authoring system are the most commonly used software packages. As Web-based documentation becomes more common, writers who can use Web authoring software such as PageMill and Microsoft FrontPage are increasingly in demand.
Find out what is used most commonly in your industry and market, then acquire the skills and/or the tools you need.
Your Resume
When preparing your first technical writing resume, think carefully about the technical
writing experience you have had. Even if you have never been called a technical writer,
chances are, you have, at some time or another, been called upon to write instructions.
Put that experience on your resume and call it technical writing experience. Slant the
wording of your resume to your targeted industry.
If you really have no experience at all, here are a couple of options:
Find a friend who will let you write a brief manual for his company for free. Put that experience on your resume and use your friend as a reference, or,
Find a freelance technical writer who will take you on one of his or her projects as an apprentice.
The second option benefits all concerned. You get to learn from a writer already working in the field and get paid for it. You'll finish the project with two resume credits (your mentor and his or her client) and a writing sample. Your mentor gets an inexpensive pair of extra hands, and the satisfaction and fresh perspective that comes from training a new person in the field. The client wins too, since they get to work with a competent professional-in-training whom they wouldn't have found otherwise.
Approach freelancers at an STC meeting with this idea. Point out the benefit to them and remind them that hiring a subcontractor requires little extra paperwork.
If you have been an employee most of your working life, you may be used to preparing resumes in chronological format--that is, presenting your work experience in terms of how long you spent at each of your jobs, and trying not to make it look as though you have changed jobs frequently.
Your approach as a contractor will be different. Showing that you have worked many different jobs will actually help you. Also, since you may take long vacations, you don't want to emphasize the times you spend not working, which is what a chronological resume would show.
Lay out your resume in several broad categories, with paragraphs describing major
achievements. Try to use jargon from your chosen industry. This is part of looking and
sounding like a technical writer. Here is an example from one of my first technical
writing resumes (jargon for my industry is in ALL CAPS):
| Technical Writing: | Wrote USER DOCUMENTATION for a CUSTOM DATABASE for Ramsey County Human Services. Worked closely with programmers, as well as with USERS who knew little about computers, to produce quality documentation under a tight deadline. |
Note that you do not have to indicate how much, if anything, you got paid for a particular job, or how long you spent on it.
The other categories on my early resume were:
| Other Writing: | This included a paragraph on fiction I have published, one for journalism, and one for plays I have had produced. |
| Word Processing: | Although this was simply temping experience, I turned it to my advantage in the
following paragraph: Freelance word processor for almost seven years. Clients have included Citibank, Bankers Trust Company (both of New York), KPMG Peat Marwick (Los Angeles), First Bank Pillsbury, IDS, Marigold Foods, and Norwest Banks (all of Minneapolis). Proofread and edited documents for style, grammar, and READABILITY. Designed templates for proposals, reports, and memos. Created documents using at least five different word processing and spreadsheet packages. |
| Education: | Here I listed my college degree and the six-week fiction writers' workshop I attended. |
| Software: | Once you have found out what the popular word processing/desktop publishing software is in your market, learn how it works and say that you are proficient at using it here. Remember that once you have a basic familiarity with the platform the software runs on (such as Windows 95), it is easy to learn new software for it. Even if you don't own the software, you can find a user manual for it in any large bookstore. Use the book to get a basic feel for how the software works, then learn the rest of the skills you need on the job. |
| Memberships: | Join the Society for Technical Communication (see Resources for Technical Writers for contact information) as soon as possible, and indicate your affiliation here. You don't have to have experience to join, and it makes you look like a technical writer. If you have any other appropriate professional affiliations, put them here as well. |
At the bottom of your resume, indicate that references and writing samples are available on request.
Make sure your resume looks good. Use attractive, professional-looking fonts, try to keep it to a single page, and make sure there is plenty of white space. Get other technical writers to give you their resumes and steal any formatting you think looks good. Always use a good quality laser printer to print your resume. Remember that the professional appearance of any technical document is sometimes even more important than the actual wording. This is one area in which you can't afford to skimp.
Getting Established
Here is the plan I followed to establish myself as a contract technical writer:
This entire process took me less than one year. The market in my area is so good that it was not necessary to work for agencies to become established. Many freelancers view agencies as only an intermediary to step 5 since you can usually make more money if you cut out middlemen.
Since becoming established I've decided to hire new writers as my apprentices because I believe this will benefit me as well them. You may well be able to convince freelancers in your area of the merits of this idea, which allows you to combine steps 1 and 2. See Your Resume for more of my thoughts on this.
Negotiating Contracts
One of the most exciting, and also one of the most nerve-wracking, aspects of contracting
is that you are constantly re-negotiating the terms of your employment, including the
amounts you are paid. Dealt with properly, this can be a tremendous advantage over working
as an employee.
Whatever terms you negotiate, you must always work with a signed contract. In the words of Samuel Goldwyn, verbal agreements "are not worth the paper they are written on."
Rates
One of the most important terms of your contract will be what you are paid, and how.
Contractors are typically paid either by the hour, or a flat fee for a single project.
Each method of payment has advantages and disadvantages. Schmooze with other technical
writers and contact technical writing agencies to find out what typical rates are in your
area and industry.
Hourly Rates
This is the best method to use if you are just getting started. It will take you a while
to learn how much time different kinds of projects will take you. By charging an hourly
rate, you ensure that you get paid for the time you spend working, even if you
underestimate the number of hours you spend on a project.
It is always a good idea to ask for more money than you will settle for, and then allow your client to talk you down. For instance, if I want $X an hour for a project, I'll ask for $X+5 and allow myself to be talked down to $X. This leaves open the possibility of getting more than my target amount, and lets my client think she's driving a hard bargain.
Flat Fees
Clients love flat fees because they can instantly decide how much money to budget for a
project. This method works in your favor if you have a good idea how much time an
individual project will take you, since you can increase your hourly rate without
appearing to do so. Do this by over-estimating the number of hours a project will take
you, then present your flat fee as a function of those hours divided by a (deflated)
hourly rate. If you finish the project somewhat below the estimated hours, I believe you
can ethically pocket the difference. If you finish well below the estimate, you can gain
major points with your client by returning some of the money as a rebate, or by offering
to do some extra work for no extra charge.
A Sample Contract
Below is a sample contract, based on an early one of my own. It is nothing more than a
letter sent to my client.
Dear [FIRST NAME]:
This is to confirm our contracting agreement as we discussed in your office yesterday.
We agreed that I would convert the study guide for the first Access course from a PowerPoint presentation into a Word document. This document will include the following:
I will complete this work by [DATE]. We will meet once a week so I can give you drafts of the new document and you can request changes. The final draft will be given to you on both paper and disk.
[COMPANY] will pay me as an independent contractor a fee of [FLAT FEE]. I will invoice [COMPANY] for this amount when the work is completed.
If this is your understanding of our agreement, please sign and date a copy of this letter and return it to me when we meet on [DATE].
Looking forward to working with you,
Michael P. Belfiore
Accepted for [COMPANY]
By:_______________________
Date:______________________
How to
Write a Good Technical Manual
Perhaps the most common mistake technical writers make when writing manuals is to present
information in terms of what a product does, rather than how it is used.
Simply documenting what a product does, in however excruciating detail, is much easier
than trying to determine what a user actually needs to do with it, and explaining how to
do it. Easier for you, but your users will hate you. Don't be lazy. Organize the
information by task, rather than by function. As an example, compare these
two sample tables of contents for an automobile user's manual:
Information Organized by Function:
Chapter 1: The Controls
Chapter 2: The Engine
Chapter 3: The Electrical System
Chapter 4: The Exhaust System
Information Organized by Task:
Introduction: What Is an Automobile?
Chapter 1: How to Drive
Chapter 2: Maintenance
Users unfamiliar with automobiles would be hard-pressed to find useful information in the first example.
Of course, most people buying automobiles will already know what an automobile is, and have an idea of how to use one generally, so the second example would probably be too basic for the average user. Determining the average competency level of your users will part of your initial research.
Always make sure your manual looks good. If your client doesn't have a template for you to use, find 2 or 3 technical manuals in your industry and steal all the good formatting and layout ideas you can. Use fonts and page layouts consistently throughout the document. When possible, use your client's logo on the cover. Again, the physical attractiveness of a manual is often more important to your client than the actual text..
Write clearly and simply. Use transparent language that doesn't call attention to itself. Present only the information your users need to know. The designers will want to tell you everything about how a product works. Part of your job is to filter that information for people who are interested only in how they can use the product to do their work as quickly and efficiently as possible. Users don't want to know how the clutch connects with the drive train--they just want to know how to start the engine and get rolling.
You and the IRS
The IRS doesn't like independent contractors. As a contractor, your income is difficult to
track, and, most importantly, taxes are not withheld from your checks. You are responsible
for keeping track of your earnings and paying the IRS estimated taxes 4 times each year.
You also have to pay double the FICA and Medicare taxes of an employee.
In some cases, for instance if you work for an agency, you may be paid as an employee, rather than an independent contractor. You must then fill out separate forms for your income earned as an employee and that earned as an independent.
As an independent contractor, you are defined by the IRS as a sole proprietorship, unless you become incorporated, in which case you become an employee of your own corporation, which limits your personal liability, but increases your costs and involves more paperwork.
All of this makes it imperative that you learn as much as you can about filing your own income taxes so that you know exactly what your advantages and disadvantages are under current laws and in what situations.
Don't trust this research to a professional tax-preparer. You must know enough about your own taxes to make responsible business decisions such as whether to work as an employee or sole proprietor, or to become incorporated.
If you allow yourself plenty of time to do this research at a leisurely pace, it can actually be kind of fun. Buy yourself one of several tax books put out each year. Read all the relevant IRS publications (which I have found to be excellent examples of good technical writing). Talk to other technical writers about their taxes.
Resources for
Technical Writers
Below is a list of resources you can use to get more information about the business of
contract technical writing.