Building a Technical Writing Portfolio

1
Building a Technical Writing Portfolio

• By
• Dave Eisenbrey

2
The Problem

• Technical writing is one of the few careers in
  which building a portfolio can be almost
  impossible.
• - Confidentiality Clauses
• - Little experience

3
The Solution

• Build your skills by creating writing samples
  based on everyday items.
• No Example is too small or too silly.

4
The solution (cont..)

• Create writing samples that concentrate on the
  type of job you are looking for.
• Practice by reading other peoples samples.

5
Portfolio Building Ideas

• For Jobs that use lengthy industry jargon,
  practice getting the word count down to a
  minimum, while maximizing comprehensibility.
• i.e. reading labels on different bottles of
  medicine in your medicine cabinet.

6
Portfolio Building Ideas (cont..)

• For jobs that involve writing How-To guides, try
  looking through manuals around your house and
  writing improved versions.
• A good start is writing a guide to programming a
  VCR.

7
Portfolio Building Ideas (cont..)

• Training guides are a nice bonus to a portfolio.
• Write guides that relate to certain skills you
  may have, i.e. juggling, software set-up,
  painting.

8
Portfolio Building Ideas (cont..)

• Software manuals look extremely well in a
  portfolio.
• More than likely you will be asked to write some
  kind of software manual during your technical
  writing career.
• Create several software manuals for programs you
  are and are not familiar with. Online web-based
  guides and tutorials are also a good idea.

9
Creativity is the Key

• The important thing to remember is,
• A technical writing portfolio is not limited by
  your experience, but by your imagination.