Re: Resources for Marketing for Technical Writing Opportunities?

[Kirsten Zerbinis <salmonzerbinis -at- rogers -dot- com>]

I've had a little luck with an email, sent to either the company head 
or the lead developer, just stating my interest in freelance/contract 
work and explaining (in some kinda punchy brochure-type prose) why they 
should hire a professional writer, and leave their developers doing 
what they do best (which is usually not writing user docs).  I include 
a link to my "company" website (little do they know that me and my 
website *are* the company), so they can get more information on my 
background and education, as well as view samples of my work.

I often followed up with a phone call, just a short one, to see if they 
saw my email and if they were interested in using my services.  
Sometimes they said no, and I thanked them politely and didn't press 
the issue.  Occasionally, I had a longer conversation, and they 
expressed interest.

I chose this approach because I wanted to work in small companies (ones 
without a tech writer on staff, without the need for a full-time 
person, in fact), since I am starting out, and I thought I had a better 
shot at breaking in if they were just trying out what a writer can do 
for them.

I got some nibbles.  Certainly I got more with this approach than I did 
with a resume.  If you want, contact me off-list and I'll send you the 
email.  I was fairly proud of the tone of it.

-Kirsten Zerbinis
London, Ontario


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