RE: How did you get started in tech writing?

Subject: RE: How did you get started in tech writing?
From: "Nicola Harlow" <N -dot- Harlow -at- seamsltd -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:21:43 +0100

Good question!

I started out as an artist. I did a fine art degree, then...well I ended
up working at a local DIY chain as a checkout operator. Hated it.

So I left, and tried to become a librarian, and started as a volunteer.
As part of that, because I knew how to use computers, I got taken on as
a 'Community Information Co-ordinator', a fancy name for someone who
input information into a database.

Some of that job involved training and writing instructions...and my
boss showed me DILBERT. You guessed it, I saw Tina the Tech Writer and
thought 'Wow, is that a JOB???'

Despite wanting to be a tech writer (author, I'm in the UK), I went on
with my library MSc. BIG mistake. I now have an MSc, but it made me
realise just how little I wanted to be a librarian.

Blagged my way into my first job with basic skills, I'd been creating
images in Paint, had my own (hideous) website, and could open Word. I've
been learning ever since, in the first job I introduced compiled help,
RoboHelp, and even learnt how to put a proper contents into a Word doc!

I'm in the North so my career path has been a little patchy, there
aren't too many jobs to choose from. But otherwise so far I love my job,
and I'm glad I stumbled across it.

So I owe my career to Dilbert. Glad I don't have to pay a fee to Scott
Adams!

Nicola

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+n -dot- harlow=seamsltd -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+n -dot- harlow=seamsltd -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Nancy Allison
Sent: 16 August 2008 00:01
To: ekarenski-techwrl -at- yahoo -dot- com
Cc: Techwr-l
Subject: How did you get started in tech writing?

In the Fallback or Sellout thread (or whatever it was called) Karen
wrote:

> I was actually wondering if I was going to read other's responses as
> to how they started in this profession.

What a great question. I wonder if we can get a thread going on it.
Karen's answer was in her post.

My answer, briefly, is this: I got a Master's degree in Teaching English
as a Second Language, only to find that it was impossible to make a
living at it, at least in Boston. I wound up doing more temporary office
work than teaching. And I HATED secretarial work.

And, when I did teach, I discovered that I liked writing my teaching
materials more than I liked being at the head of the room. When someone
said, "You might try technical writing," I gave it a shot.

What's your story?

--Nancy

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ComponentOne Doc-To-Help gives you everything you need to author and
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True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

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References:
How did you get started in tech writing?: From: Nancy Allison

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