Agriculture and Tech Writing

[Lauren]

Hi Dash,

Well I hope you continuing posting, you have an interesting angle and a cool
name.  Plus, you already seem to know how to write, spell, use punctuation,
and communicate cohesive concepts.  Those skills are important for writers
and sometimes there are people that lack a skill or two and will
subsequently require a longer learning curve once they get a writing
position, so success will be slower.  You can probably hit the ground
running or at least jogging at first.

Geoff said that you should do your homework.  This is true, but sometimes
people need a little direction to find that homework.  One technique to find
writing opportunities is to search for things that you know and then search
for questions about those things.  You can answer questions in forums or, as
Peter said, write a Wikipedia article.  You can also write for other
sources, like Ezine and some others that I don't remember.  There's also an
"e-zine" site, but I don't know what it is like.

Really what it comes down to, if you want to write, then you will need an
audience.  Your homework will involve finding your audience and that can be
made easier if you put yourself in the position of somebody that wants to
know what you know and then search the Internet.  The lost tend to
congregate in forums and an expert can really stand out by having answers.
Once you start answering questions, then you will develop your own niche and
find your market potential.  Do share your experiences here and ask
technical writing questions because this is a great forum for professional
communication.

Lauren
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus.edu at lists.techwr-l.com 
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus.edu at lists.techwr-l.com] On 
> Behalf Of Dash Barron
> Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 12:09 PM
> To: techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
> Subject: Agriculture and Tech Writing
> 
> Greetings. I'm new to the field of Tech Writing and I'm 
> attempting to explore all possibilities. As my background 
> revolves around agriculture, I am seeking to learn how these 
> two fields are related, and what sort of career opportunities 
> and experiences are available for someone like me wishing to 
> become a hybrid of these two professions.  My questions then 
> to my future colleagues are these: Where may I begin my 
> inexorable exploration into the different fields of Tech 
> Writing, and is there anyone who is working specifically in 
> the field of agriculture? I'd love to hear any suggestions 
> one may have. Thank you everyone, and I hope I become an 
> intricate part of this growing phenomenon!