RE: Rates (was The Lone Writer)

[kcronin -at- daleen -dot- com]

Bruce wrote:

> I agree with you Keith ... but there are lots of people (still) not prepared
> to accept changing their career-path, every time the wind changes direction.


Nor do I recommend that. But sometimes you have to realize when you've
become a milkman, and do something about it. Tech writing as a profession
has not yet reached that point, but the day of the average tech writer
easily finding lucrative work is in the past, at least for the moment.


> The person from Orlando, made a point, when saying that he was constantly
> being under-cut by graduates entering the market-place. How do you compete,
> when an employer who's only concern is about cost, and willing takes anyone
> off the street who can meet that need.


In that situation, you really cannot compete. Been there, done that. I
quit and found another gig (back when it was easier to do so).


> The company I do work for, never thought about an image, or what could be
> produced, until it was shown to them. I'm afraid (maybe) that this
> individual in Orlando, was never taught how to market himself, before he
> graduated with an English degree. And if he had no artistic fair, just
> grammatical skills - he would probably find that he was 'a-dime-a dozen'
> after a while. I don't believe that just knowing 'English', is sufficient to
> survive in this field. There is more to commanding a price, and - like
> selling real-estate - not everyone will want your services


VERY true. The importance of marketing yourself - of demonstrating the
value YOU as an individual can add - cannot be overemphasized. And sadly,
many tech writers haven't figured this out. They doggedly clutch their
copy of FrameMaker under their arm, and hope that an opening develops
calling for their exact skill set. They use their free time posting
lengthy diatribes on message boards about how nobody appreciates tech
writers.

This is NOT a sexy gig. Most people - from the top to the bottom of a
company - simply do not care about this stuff. And many tech writers make
the mistake of taking that personally. The bottom line is that for most
companies, documentation is not a profit driver. But other TW-related
aspects can be. That's why smart tech writers are working their way into
training, into developing courseware, into marcomm, into Web development,
proposal writing, etc. Those who are not flexible and/or who have not
increased and diversified their skills are getting left in the dust.

Case in point: I am continually amazed at how many tech writers do not
know HTML, or have absolutely no knowledge of graphics programs. Many
companies have cut their publications departments to the bone, and you
can't count on having a "layout guy" or a "graphics guy" or a "web guy" -
but YOU can take a shot at being that guy.

Personally, I stay off the "be an evangelist for tech writing" bandwagon.
I'm not out to prove to my company how important documentation is. My
goals are more selfish. I'm out to prove to my company how valuable *I*
can be. Last time I checked, I am the only person on the planet for whom
that is a priority, so I try to do a thorough job of it.



Keith Cronin
thinking impure thoughts about those perky little sans serif fonts...



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