Which Technical Writers Get Paid the Most

Clients today look for technical writing experience at other companies in their same space: writers who worked at companies who sell similar technology.

Chip makers want a Tech Writer who has produced databooks and application notes for semiconductor or chip manufacturers. Companies who make software for insurance companies want software user guide writers who understand insurance risk analysis. Networking companies who make routers and switches need tech writers who have learned the seven layers of networking protocols like SONET, ATM, or 802.11. And companies making tools for programmers want that writing experience.

Companies pay more for those who already have experience writing instructions for similar companies and similar users. So wherever a Technical Writer gets his or her first job dictates the next, and the next company who will also hire that writer.

Writers familiar with Java get lots of work today. That’s because most products require programmers to install, configure, and integrate new IT (information technology) products. Programmers work with APIs (application program interfaces), so writers who have explained APIs already at other companies get paid the most. Today, most APIs consist of Java code.

Most technical writers create their instructions using FrameMaker, a publishing tool sold by Adobe. FrameMaker takes some time to learn, and probably one year to master. Increasingly today, writers must use Structured FrameMaker plus XML—even more difficult to use than traditional FrameMaker.

Companies also often have lots of files created with RoboHelp, and need writers who can use this online Help software to update and maintain their online Help.

Similar to RoboHelp, Quadralay WebWorks Publisher outputs on-line help files from FrameMaker and Word documents. As companies migrate to CMS (content management systems), writers must increasingly use an XML editor, like Epic, and label content with something called metadata tagging.

In past decades, technical writers worked with teams that included graphic artists, illustrators, and editors. These days, many smaller companies employ just one or two “lone” technical writers, and do not have the budget for in-house graphics artists or illustrators. Given these constraints, how can a good technical writer produce crystal clear instructions without graphics? In many cases the technical writer wields a digital camera to capture pictures of network routers, set-top boxes, control systems, pumps, and other hardware he or she writes about, then uses a tool such as Adobe Photoshop to fine-tune his or her photos.

Technical writers often use Visio, or FrameMaker’s drawing tools to make illustrations showing how all the parts of a complex system work together and interrelate.

It’s a lot to know how to do. No wonder many technical writers earn over $90,000.