The Not-Boring Tech Writer

The technical writer has a variety of valuable skills – such as making documents enjoyable to read and complex topics easy to understand – however, the skill that I think is most valuable for the technical writer is the desire to stay relevant and advance their career. 

So we pick up a programming language; we get continued education; we dig into API documentation, hopefully through Tom Johnson’s course on his site, I’d rather be writing. 

But there’s another way to advance our career in technical writing – one that many of you in industry have perhaps never considered: teaching technical writing. 

Jobs in teaching technical writing are rising – a great opportunity for the new and seasoned technical writer alike to make a career shift – and in this episode, our guest, Kim Campbell, professor and chair of Technical Communication at the University of North Texas, will tell you how to make it happen, including: 
  • how to gain the right skills 
  • how to adopt the right mindset for teaching
  • how to enjoy a fulfilling career in academia
Show Notes: 

What is The Not-Boring Tech Writer?

Some people hear the phrase "technical writing" and think it must be boring. We're here to show the full complexity and awesomeness of being a tech writer.

This podcast is for anyone who writes technical documentation of any kind, including those who may not feel comfortable calling themselves tech writers. Whether you create product documentation, support documentation, READMEs, or any other technical content—and whether you deal with imposter syndrome, lack formal training, or find yourself somewhere in the gray area between technical communications and general writing—there's a place for you here.

Each month, we publish two episodes: an interview with an amazing guest focusing on useful skills or tools that can help you improve your tech writing skills, and a behind-the-scenes solo episode with host Kate Mueller about what she’s working on, struggling with, or thinking about in her daily tech writing life.

The Not-Boring Tech Writer is generously sponsored by KnowledgeOwl, knowledge base software built for people who care, by people who care.