FAQs that Nobody Asked For

Why make this site? Shouldn’t you have other priorities?

• Well, I wanted a way to bolster my portfolio and showcase my skills, and I found this to not only be the most effective method of doing so, but also the most helpful to employers and aspiring technical writers who want to learn more about a blogging style of technical writing.

What is your ideal role?

• A technical writer who, after discussing issues and goals with subject matter experts, creates content best suited for said goals, whether it be through creating blog posts, user manuals, updating existing company documentation, creating or updating FAQs, and more. Essentially, I want the job that’s important yet nobody else wants to do so I can be the person people come to seeking help, simply because I like helping others with matters I’m knowledgeable in.

What is the best software or product you’ve used for technical writing?

• Definitely Jekyll, in combination with Git and Github, because as soon as you create a site, Jekyll adds all the ideal gitignore files, attributes, and modules. Also, when you want to use a specific theme with your site, all you have to do is install the theme’s Ruby Gem file in the Command Line and add it to your site’s config file. It has blown me away how much functionality this product offers at no cost, and it has blown me more away how I never knew about it until recently. I say: take the time to learn it, because it’s worth it. It’s completely open-source, far simpler to use than other website builders out there, and what’s even crazier is that many big companies use Jekyll for sites of their own! Simply a 10/10.

Where did you learn most of your skills?

• Almost all of my skills, with the exception of a few UX skills I learned at OSU, I got from online. Either from auditing Coursera courses, Youtube guides, and blogs from people in the technical writing field, such as the I’d Rather Be Writing blog. However, it’s not like I learned all these new skills and decided I was ready to work, far from it! In fact, I took the time to really put my skills into practice, thanks to VS Code and the Linux CLI. After a while, I finally consolidated all the skills I learned into a single work: this blog site.

How would you convince somebody to pick up technical writing?

• I wouldn’t! Jokes aside, this job is not for the faint-hearted, meaning you can’t just decide to be a technical writer, even if you have a matching degree. No! Instead, master the skills that this role requires and see if you liked the process, then you’ll know if you want to be a technical writer or not. I’m not saying it’s a difficult role, but it definitely can be tedious at times. The constant checking of any issues in your documents, proofreading, version control, outlining, writing large blocks of text, getting feedback, etc. Individually, I wouldn’t say these are very difficult tasks, but collectively, it can be a little mind numbing. That’s why collaboration makes this role a lot better, and there is no better role where your collaboration feels more impactful than in technical writing. If you want a role where you don’t mind doing potentially tedious or monotonous tasks in exchange for impactful communication, collaboration, with a decent salary? Technical writing, or content writing as some may call it, is for you! Having a UX background, like myself, is an advantage that you should utilize as well.

What skills are most important for technical writing?

• Patience, combined with constant and clear communication, planning, constructive feedback, accountability, all while keeping track of your team’s progress, I believe, is the golden formula.

How do you find a work-life balance with technical writing?

• It depends. If you work in person or hybrid, I assume it’s the same as any other job: make sure you get enough sleep, put great importance on punctuality, encourage yourself to build relationships with co-workers, and stay on top of your work while on the clock. Remote work, however, is just like online school, and I know my fellow “Covid Colleagues” understand what I mean very well. Remote work can seem simple, but staying focused on your work is of utmost importance, because it’s extremely easy to get distracted while at home and lose track. Some advice? Lock your door, close all your other tabs and windows except what you’re working on, put your phone on DND, grab some tea, and make sure you stretch every once in a while. Then, just finish your work, because after dealing with all the distractions, working at home is a complete net positive.

How do you work with others? How would others describe working with you?

• I always try to initiate conversations with others, because I know, especially in remote work or in the tech field, people may have trouble coming up with things to talk about. It’s important to not be silent during a meeting; I’ll usually ask a question, even if I don’t have to, so as to get myself to be comfortable speaking with the people I’m working with. I also try to make sure everything is accounted for, like asking team members what exactly they’re working on at the moment, not as to boss them around, but as an attempt to genuinely put more effort in places that aren’t being worked on. In the past, I’ve been described as: someone who genuinely cares about his work, who cares deeply about the details by asking many questions, providing valuable feedback, and tries to make sure that his work is the best it could be–even if he loses track of time and it takes him hours. This has happened several times actually, once when I was trying to fix a plugin I installed to make my terminal nicer looking, as well as when my initial Jekyll install failed due to a Gemfile error. I even opened a Github Issue about the Jekyll problem. Even though it took me several hours to figure both issues out, I never gave up on fixing them, and I succeeded.

What are some of your favorite hobbies?

• I enjoy a few things, like reading, working out, occasionally playing video games on my PC, and sometimes writing down notes in Google Docs or in Apple Notes. I have dabbled in content creation in the past, and I may plan on continuing again in the future.

General advice to anyone looking for a career in technical writing?

• Be patient and take the time to learn all the necessary skills, start a blog, contribute to open-source, put your new skills into practice, and always look for new resources to help you along the way. It never hurts to Google something if you’re unsure!