TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
"Gabrielle Isenbrand" wrote ...
> I need a general, order-of-magnitude idea for how much it would
> cost my company to hire a contract tech writer to create a manual
> for our product.
Andrew Plato responded:
"If you're lucky, you can find somebody who will do the whole thing for
under
$20K. But make sure to evaluate their skills and experience. One $20K
promise
can very quickly turn into a $90K disaster."
It has been my experience that $20K promises turn into $90K disasters at the
fault of the company, not the writer. Wholesale software changes, scope
creep, and important deadlines requiring lots of overtime that then become
meaningless. While these problems may not occur with an established product,
if the software is a work in progress, a company's demands and expectations
can often be unrealistic and a writer needs to cover his behind with
detailed notes as to why he is now costing the company $90K.
