Wednesday, September 5, 2007

TECHNICAL WRITER


If you have experience of any profession or you are technical person of any field having vast experience, but your salary is not sufficient to meet both ends. In this situation you have one way to earn a lot as Technical Writer.

Technical writer explain things. They explain how to use VCR, how to use computer programs, how to install telecommunication switches, how to operate blood-testing instruments.

Technical Writer might produce public relation brochures, company reports or even advertisements or help prepare articles for professional journals.

According to the survey in the 1995 published by “The Society For Technical Communication” STC, the median salary for technical writer in the United States was $41.078 (that is , 50% earn that much or less, while 50% earn more), the average salary was $42.469. In Canada the median salary was $44.550 and the average $44.322.

Any body can work as freelancer too a 72% freelancers surveyed were making $30 an hour and 32% making $40 an hour.

In 1995 STC Rocky Mountain Chapter salary survey found that the median income for freelancers was $ 52.500

The Technical writer who writes computer books, these books can be huge sellers; In general computer-book authors are paid royalty a share of profit on each book that is sold.

Kinds of Technical Writers

The Ex-Military
The Journalist
The English Graduate
The Secretary
The Techie

In 1987 experienced technical writers of the private sector usually earn from $30.000 to $35.000.

How can you start?

To find Technical-writing job. The first thing is to join STC. The STC has almost 20.000 members. Most of the member is technical writers. The STC can help you in several ways the most thing is the instant network it provides.

Get training

Find a local college that runs a technical writing class, or find out whether your present employer runs technical writing classes. If you don’t have any technical skills take a few courses in computers, electronics, or telecommunication. Think about the local market demands first.

You don’t necessarily have to take a degree course in technical writing by the way. If you already have some writing or technical skills, you need to fill the gaps in your knowledge, not start over from the beginning.

Get Online

Get internet connection, as you already have, while reading my blog. Being online, there’s a wealth of information, or technical writers on the internet, and thousand of job leads.

Technical writing is not profession in the sense that medicine or law is a profession. You don’t need to pass exams or be certified