Looking for Advice

[terry -at- terrydiederich -dot- com]

I've been a software developer for the last 13 years. As part of my job 
I've done quite a bit of writing.  I've written end user manuals, 
documentation for developers, training courses, etc.  I found that I really 
enjoy writing. I am now working as a freelance programmer but I was 
thinking about looking for tech writing jobs.  I know very little about the 
tech writing job market and I was hoping to get some advice from someone 
more knowledgeable than myself.

Would my experience as a programmer help me find work as a tech writer?

My education has been primarily computer science although I have taken a 
couple tech writing classes since college.  Will not having an educational 
background in writing be a problem?

I'm putting together a portfolio but I don't have a lot to put into it 
right now.  When I was doing most of my writing for my previous employers I 
didn't think about some day pursuing a writing career so I didn't save 
anything for a portfolio.  I've also had to sign some non-disclosure 
agreements for a couple projects so any writing I did for those would not 
be available anyway.  Is it legitimate to just write some pieces for the 
sole purpose of putting it into my portfolio?

Does anyone who made the transition from programmer to writer have any 
advice for me?

Thanks in advance
Terry Diederich




^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Collect Royalties, Not Rejection Letters! Tell us your rejection story when you 
submit your manuscript to iUniverse Nov. 6 -Dec. 15 and get five free copies of 
your book. What are you waiting for? http://www.iuniverse.com/media/techwr

Have you looked at the new content on TECHWR-L lately?
See http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ and check it out.

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit 
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.