The Tech Writing Game [Paperback]

Janet Van Wicklen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0816040397 | ISBN-13: 978-0816040391 | Edition: Revised

If you have ever consulted a computer manual or the instruction booklet for your VCR, you have read the work of a technical writer. For those who aspire to a career in technical writing, here's all the vital information-from how and where to train, to landing and holding a job, from perfecting one's skills to mastering the tools of the trade.

Updated information includes:
Detailed advice on researching, writing, and editing for different audiences
A glossary of online documentation terms
Practical tips on finding a job and building a career in tech writing
Academic programs, professional associations, and further reading.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Technical writing has been a growing field for the last half century. Amid much information of advanced issues for experienced tech writers, there is little information that is aimed at novices or those considering technical writing as a career. Van Wicklen provides an impressive introduction to the field, revealing and explaining many aspects of the job a tech writer would learn only from experience, including the additional roles technical writers must often play (such as product tester and diplomat) and the misconceptions of the tech writer's art by those who determine budgets, resources, and deadlines. This guide offers some basic principles of document structure and design for both printed and online media and is full of practical advice on how to glean information from product developers and determine the needs of a document's audience. Van Wicklen draws from her own experience as well as giving testimony from colleagues, demonstrating the wide variability of technical writing jobs. It will be a helpful resource for anyone considering or beginning a career in technical writing. Gavin Quinn
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 269 pages
• Publisher: Checkmark Books; Revised edition (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816040397
• ISBN-13: 978-0816040391
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,058,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beginner's Best Choice, September 9, 2002

By 

Nilanjana Banerjee (San Jose, CA , USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tech Writing Game (Paperback)

Technical writing is slowly evolving as a major career option for anyone interested in technology as well as writing. The Tech Writers' Survival Guide book was a recommended text in a preliminary course of Technical Communication that I did.This book briefly discusses various aspects of the job of a tech writer. It also gives an exposure to various factors affecting this field.

I will highly recommend this book for leisure reading for anyone embarking in the field of technical writing. It makes them familiar with the concept of technical writing,as well as pros and cons,and the dos and donts of the job of a writer .The language is very relaxed, consistent with style of a storybook.
So, if you are interested in a career of a Technical Writer and want to explore the world without going into too much details, this book is the best pick.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book to change careers by, June 6, 2002

By 

h williams (kansas city) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tech Writer's Survival Guide: A Comprehensive Handbook for Aspiring Technical Writers (Hardcover)

I am quite Web savy and I have a degree in journalism. I was looking to make a career change when I learned about technical writers and how they are paid very well for what they do. However, I wasn't sure what they did. After looking at several technical writing books, I picked out this book. Just glancing at the book, I liked the breakdown of the chapters and the topics it covered. After reading this book, I feel I could walk into an office right now and do the job.

If I'm blessed to become a technical writer, this book will be within my grasp on my office bookshelf. If you're looking for a book on the minute specifics on how to write technically (using graphs, terminology and how to address the audience you're writing to, for example) look elsewhere. This is not the book for you. If you're looking for a book that provides wonderfully detailed information about how to be the best technical writer you can be (it does this by covering specific knowledge a technical writer needs to have to do his/her job and to do it well) then pick up a copy of this book. You'll be happy you did.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Does exactly what it claims to do, March 7, 2004

By 

FBH "best-light" (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tech Writing Game (Paperback)

The sub-title says it all: this is indeed a comprehensive handbook for aspiring tech writers. I am considering such a career change and found this book to be an invaluable guide, giving me a realistic and extremely helpful "lay of the land" tour. No, it did not give me every conceivable secret for making my fortune in tech writing - it would be silly to expect any one book to do that - but I found that it answered all my questions about what I can expect if and when I make the transition to this new field. Ms. Van Wicklen writes in a very clear, incredibly well organized style that makes it easy to find any topic, and her tone is at the same time encouraging and realistic. I've read other books that promise fortunes and neglect to mention any downsides or risks; by contrast, this one left me with a really good understanding of what I can expect as a tech writer, both good and bad. As I read this book, I kept thinking that every profession should have such a clear and informative guide book.