A Career in Technical Writing: The beginning of a new series

Posted by John Hewitt on 7/2/2008 under Blogging, Featured, Technical Writing, Writing, Writing Business |

The Bullet Points

I’m writing a series of posts about my career as a technical writer
I’m going to start my posts with bullet points so people can get the facts quickly
The next part of the post will tell a little story about my technical writing experiences
I’ll follow that up with links for further reading and with discussion questions
I think this will be helpful to aspiring technical writers, aspiring writers, and anyone who is starting off on a long career path
I hope you like it

John Hewitt - Technical Writer

I am a technical writer. As a technical writer (and occasionally as an “information architect”), I have contracted for some of the largest technology companies in the world. I have also worked for companies that you’ve never heard of. Some companies treated me with respect and valued my opinion. They recognized that I was being paid (well) to do a job and they did everything they could to get me what I needed. Other companies didn’t follow that path. At one company they treated me like a glorified secretary. At another company they put me in charge of a project and gave me virtually no instructions. They just trusted me to get the job done (or they didn’t feel like paying attention) and I figured out everything on my own.

My Career So Far

At this point I am twelve years into my career as a technical writer and I’ve been in a lot of different situations. Some of them were good. Some of them were bad. Many of them were funny — at least to me. Over the next few weeks I am going to write about those experiences. I’m going to tell it as a story, but I’m also going to include instructions and advice for people looking for a career in technical writing. In most cases, I don’t think you’ll have to be a technical writer to appreciate the advice. This is a series about a career in writing that just happens to be in the field of technical writing.

An Experiment in Style

I’m going to try a new style of posting as part of this project. It is something I haven’t really seen done before in the blogging world, so I hope people like it. In order to satisfy the people who just want information (and love lists) I will include a set of bullet points at the beginning of each post that will cover what I think people should take away from the article. I will also include graphics that should illustrate a point, rather than just add gloss. At the end of the article I will include some discussion questions and links for further reading.

If you are thinking that this is a lot like a textbook, you are on track. I am trying to combine my personal experiences with instructional elements. The last element, though, is you. By commenting, you can add to the conversation and create value. That is the nature of blogging. If this format works well, I plan to use it for future topics. If it doesn’t, I will weep quietly while rocking back and forth in my chair. Let’s hope for the former.

Tomorrow we’ll start in earnest.

Questions

What do you think of the style?
Is there anything you would like to see added?
What do you think about the mixing of professional advice with personal experience?

Share and Enjoy:

Jeanne Dininni (98 comments) said,

John,

I think the new format looks great! Bullet points are always a positive, since readers love them, and of course questions are one of the best ways to end a post, because they encourage comments. The Further Reading section is also a plus, and I think personal experience can be a fascinating way of illustrating points, providing context for advice, and helping readers know what to expect when they become involved in a particular writing field. Overall, your new style seems quite practical.

Looking forward to the rest of the series! I, personally, find technical writing quite interesting and will enjoy learning about it from one who has so much experience.

Glad you’re back!
Jeanne
Lillie Ammann (86 comments) said,

John,
I really like this format. Your posts will appeal to those who just want a quick overview as well as those who want to study further. I think personal experiences always make professional advice more real and believable.
James Chartrand - Men with Pens (31 comments) said,

Oh coolness. And already your new method works. I loved the bullet points and did indeed read the image you added - good one.

I’m also interested in this technical writing area. I’d love to work in this. I think. I don’t know yet. Maybe not. We’ll see.
Marie Ann Bailey (52 comments) said,

John, I think your proposed style is great. I really like the addition of graphics: it breaks up the white space and text and is a succinct way to communicate your main thoughts. I agree with everyone else that starting off with bullet points is a good idea. In fact, the bullets may entice those who think they just want a brief overview to read further. As we all read in a guest post (Tom Johnson’s), intersecting personal experience with professional content can give life to an otherwise dry article. Sharing your personal story about developing a technical writing career will make your articles unique. This is how we can really learn about technical writing, by reading *your* story.

I can’t think of anything for you to add at this time. You’ve covered all the key aspects of writing an article. I’m really looking forward to this new series.

Way to go, John!
Morgan (54 comments) said,

John, I agree with the rest that I already like the new format. I especially appreciate the Further Reading section as I am always interested to learn about potential new resources.

Yes, yes, yes…definitely mix professional advice with personal experience. It is what makes it interesting, especially your humor. I cracked up at your line about weeping quietly while rocking in your chair. Of course, that maybe the after effects of dentist’s nitrous oxide. Hmmm….wonder if I could just get a portable tank of that stuff…

Morgans last blog post..The Power of the Positive
John Hewitt (751 comments) said,

@ Jeanne

Thank you for the endorsement. The form will be more work than before, but in the long run I am hoping that the articles will retain their value more than the casual style.

@ Lillie

I think the personal experiences will help to. My professional and my personal life always seem to intertwine, and I hope that they make for an interesting story.

@ James

We’ll see how much appeal technical writing has when I’m done with it. I think it has been a good career, but there are definitely issues and those make for the best stories (I think).

@ MAB

Tom’s article did make several important points, and is even more interesting to me because he is also a technical writer so he knows my topic well.

@ Morgan

Thank you. I may have overstated the weeping, but NOX would definitely help that process along.
Chrissy Scivicque (1 comments) said,

Hey there John - I’m fairly new to the site but I love what I’m reading here. To comment on a few of your questions:

I LOVE the bullet point summary at the beginning of the article. I often use these types of lists at the end, as a way of wrapping up. But this really works with the ADD of internet-users, allowing them to get straight to the facts immediately. In my experience, people love that. Typically, if the bullets jump out and provide stimulation, they’ll read on further (or bounce to another article still on your site).

Regarding the mixing of personal experience with professional advice - this is my favorite type of article to read and write. Sharing your personal experience adds to your credibility. When I know the advice I’m getting is from someone who has “been there, done that” I am much more likely to take it to heart. It also adds an element of personality and connects the reader to the writer. In my blogging, I do this all the time. As a result, people feel like they know me personally - which has been huge in terms of growing a community and a strong rapport with readers.

Chrissy Scivicques last blog post..It’s Not Rocket Science: How to Explain a Complex Idea
Jeanne Dininni (98 comments) said,

John,

I know exactly what you mean. Even just using headings, sub-heads, etc. is so much more work than simply writing a running narrative. At times, I can only sigh at the work I know I have ahead of me when it comes time to write a post–almost wishing I could go back to the simpler narrative style. Yet, I always use the more organized approach anyway because I believe it makes such a difference, adding so much value to a post. Aside from making it scannable and so much easier to read, organizing and formatting a post this way makes it much more “official” — turning it into more of an article than a blog post. And I think that does add to its long-term value. Case in point: I’ve sold numerous reprints from my blog to the Absolute Write Newsletter, precisely because they’re actually set up as articles. (In fact, my latest submission should come out in this week’s edition.)

Jeanne
John Hewitt (751 comments) said,

@ Chrissie

I had just read your article at Problogger yesterday, and here you are popping up on my site. Welcome and congratulations on selling AND keeping your blog. I will definitely put officearrow.com on my feed.

@ Jeanne

You are right about organization helping down the road. I am hoping that, if this series turns out well, I will be turning it into an e-book or more. All of the elements I need should already be in place, which will make the transition easier.
Jeanne Dininni (98 comments) said,

Excellent idea, John! Organization does have its advantages, doesn’t it!

Jeanne
Morgan (54 comments) said,

Hey John,

Just wanted to let you know that my guest spot here helped me land a trial gig over at GreenZone Online! Thanks bunches to you for the opportunity and to everyone who commented on my post.
John Hewitt (751 comments) said,

@ Morgan

That is fantastic news. Congratulations!
Jeanne Dininni (98 comments) said,

Congratulations, Morgan! That’s great news! Wishing you success at GreenZone Online!

Jeanne
Louellen Coker (1 comments) said,

John,

Along with others, I really like the style. I didn’t think I would at first, but as one who scans the first paragraph in posts before committing the time to read them, these posts will be on the top of my list for review each day.

Please include the professional advice with personal experience!

I look forward to reading your series.

Louellen

Louellen Cokers last blog post..Spamdexing: The Processed Keyword Products of Web Design
Leigh (31 comments) said,

I, too, like the punch of your new style. CNN comes to mind as being a wee bit similar, in that they have bullet points at the top (if memory serves, they put theirs way up at the top, in the right hand of the page, completely divorced from the following story; this is both good and bad, I think). Yes, textbooks more and more do seem to be turning toward brevity–which is a good thing, mostly; it all depends on the context–and a sort of blogging mentality, with lots of bullet points and headings to coax the reader along.

I think Slate published an article within the last 2-4 weeks–wish I had a crystalline memory–about how to write for the Web. I’ll have to go dig that up again; it was a good article. They would do well to follow your series here.

Also, I like the idea of having the consistency of questions and further reading at the end and the use of graphics to make the whole Web experience easier on tired eyes.

You balance it out well: for the “quickie” reader (bullet points, links, and questions) and for those who really want to delve into and analyze a piece of writing (take the article as a whole: graphics, links, questions, bullet points, and the meat of the article itself). And the mixture of personal and professional experience is pivotal; it enlivens the text!

Kudos! I’m excited to read the rest of the series.

Leighs last blog post..The Music of Words and Other Matters
Wendy Moon (1 comments) said,

John:

Do you think you can add an article about how best to break into the business? Does it matter if you have a degree in Technical Communications or not? Do you need a degree or experience in a specific field such as technology or a science or can someone with a Communications degree break into this business? Also, is it better to work freelance or with a company?

Thanks
John Hewitt (751 comments) said,

@ Wendy

Thank you for the request. The first article, which appears today, discusses how I broke into the business. I’ll be discussing job searches and such many more times as well.
Susan (2 comments) said,

Headings and bulleted lists are great ways of getting reader’s attention. I look forward to reading this series! I’m also a technical writer but have only less than a year’s experience behind my belt.

Susans last blog post..How Does 64 = 65?
James Garner (58 comments) said,

John,

I am not too sure about the new format.
For one, organization has its merits, and for a quick glance, bullets can not be beat. I like the option for additional reading, this is really value added. I waited a week, to be able to read a few posts to see where this new format was going, and to get a better feel for the direction you are going. I see that many people like the organization, and the skimming allowed by bullets. I see a lot of positive comments, but somewhere in all this, the voice of John that I grew to know from previous posts is getting burried in the new format: the blog feels like a blooming textbook. I hate reading textbooks, and I do not believe I am alone in this.

I am not saying ditch the organization, but perhaps examine the implementation of the new format… Reader’s Digest offers section headers. Pretty much all others offer out-takes, quotes, facts, or other related content to hel[p break up the article and add visual appeal. The only common model offering bullets are memos and text books. Memos are meant to be scanned (not read) and text-books are literary deserts. Perhaps the iamges, outlines, and additional reading could be incorperated as out-takes, where the real joy and meat is still the article. I appreciate the well written essay that grabs the reader by the scruff of the coller and says, come with me on my journey. Many of you “casual” posts did just that, while offering excellent, well though-out information. It is this wealth of knowledge and the enjoyment in recieving it through your wit and viewpoint that has kept me coming back looking for more. DO not be so quick to abandon what works. Add to it for those skimmers that wish to breeze across your site, if you must. Spice it up the way magazines do with the additional outtake information. But please do not start writing a textbook.

Thanks for your consistently high quality comments about writing.

James
John Hewitt (751 comments) said,

Hi James,

You make an interesting point, and I can’t disagree with everything you say. Most people don’t go through life looking for a good textbook to curl up with. In a way though, I feel that the style does free up some of my creative juices. While the bullet points and the questions and such seem academic, it allows me to be less academic in the actual posts. I can feel free to tell the story my way and then, after I’m done, pull out the information and turn it into bullets.

I don’t know if I can turn you into a fan of the new style, but I do have a suggestion. Just as there are people who will probably just read the bullets, you can feel free to ignore the bullets and skip straight to the article. Reads the part that you enjoy (I hope) and don’t worry about the rest. Give it a try. Tell me what you think.

Thank you for the feedback.
Lillie Ammann (86 comments) said,

John,
Just wanted to chime in (again) to say I really like the format you’re using for this series. I certainly don’t feel like I’m reading a textbook - your personal experiences make it enjoyable reading. The bullet points, further reading, and questions make it informative, but not boring to me. You probably don’t want to use this format for every post you write in the future, but for this series, I think it works very well.
Personal Essays on a Technical Writing Career — by John Hewitt | I'd Rather Be Writing - Tom Johnson said,

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