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Okay, I'll risk some flames and say this: I think MOST tech writers are in
it for the money. Or at least, that's why most of us decide to TRY tech
writing.
Then, if we find that we A) like it, B) are good at it, C) can earn a
living doing it (or any combination of one or more of these conditions),
we keep at it. And - I hope - continue to get better at it.
But to me, at least, it's a JOB. I do it for money, not for love. What I
love is being able to provide food and shelter for my family. (They're
real needy about that stuff.)
Don?t get me wrong - I do love to write. But to me, tech writing is more
about learning and teaching than it is about writing. You don't really
spend your day just writing; you're acquiring and assimilating
information, then organizing and presenting it. It ain't Shakespeare
(although I've seen some work that's sort of like Hemingway with bulleted
lists...).
I sense that some people are bristling at the idea of some "mercenary
types" who are being candid about their interest in exploiting tech
writing for the money they can make. But let's be honest - how many of us
announced, "When I grow up, I want to write instruction manuals and online
help" when we were little kids? Every tech writer _I_ know came to tech
writing from another profession. And money was usually a BIG part of the
decision to make that move. YMMV.
My advice: give it a try, and good luck!
- Keith Cronin
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