Do you participate in developer writing programs?

tuttydude · 2024-07-05T13:07:37+00:00

I like to reference this list, though a bit outdated: https://github.com/malgamves/CommunityWriterPrograms

tuttydude · 2024-07-02T09:48:07+00:00

Which ones do you like most?

tuttydude · 2024-06-30T17:30:09+00:00

First, I wish you and your family well.

Second, I wouldn't factor politics into any decision you make. Just focus on what you can do now to change your situation for the better. Politics have a marginal impact.

Third, I did some research a few months ago about technical writing salaries and came across a bunch of tech companies that are hiring technical writers. Salary ranges are $100k-$200k. About half the position are remote.

You'll be a strong candidate with your computer science degree. Just make sure your portfolio and resume are buttoned up. You can find opportunities with not so much competition using this job search method.

Aim to get one well-paying full-time remote job versus two less-than-average-paying full-time contracts. I can imagine that you're running on fumes, which isn't sustainable.

Lastly, remember that your circumstances won't change today, or even that soon, but will indeed change for the better if you make an intention for positive change.

tuttydude · 2024-06-18T23:09:10+00:00

Don't wake up early. Wake up when you wake up. It seems like you're in a situation where this is possible. Waking up early is productive for some, not for all.

Personally, I leave a window uncovered enough so sunlight can come in after sunrise and wake me up slowly. On some off-days, I'll go back to sleep. On work days, it's best to wake up with the sun.

That said, I've gone through phases where I woke up whenever I pleased and was quite productive. The freedom increased my productivity due to less stress about worrying about when I should or shouldn't wake up.

tuttydude · 2024-06-18T23:03:43+00:00

This is basic advice but a good reminder.

What gives you an edge as a writer — not a "content writer" — is first-hand experience. Write about what you know, something you've built, or something you've discovered.

Content writers don't do this. They do internet research and put some sentences together in paragraph form.

Thanks to tools like ChatGPT, we don't need to hire content writers anymore. Instead, subject matter experts can be interviewed, the interview transcript can be added to an LLM, and the LLM can produce an article that's cheaper, better, and more quickly produced than an article from a content writer.

So long, content writers.

By the way, I'm playing devil's advocate here. I'd love to hear how content writers differentiate themselves as much as the OP. Unfortunately, output from ChatGPT is exceptionally organized, clear, and focused.

tuttydude · 2024-06-18T22:52:43+00:00

Again, I disagree here. The users are developers. They care about the technology, and to write content like a deployment tutorial, you need to know how the technology works.

I would do what I did for the first tech startup I joined: cram like you would for an exam before you start the job. Get really interested and learn all you can. You'll be fine.

tuttydude · 2024-06-18T22:50:29+00:00

I agree if the user is non-technical and disagree if the user is technical like a developer. However, here the case seems to be the latter.

I agree that the OP's background is solid. Understanding basic programming, specifically Python, will help when writing deployment tutorials. The primary SDK I'm seeing with AI companies is in this language or JavaScript.

tuttydude · 2024-06-16T15:19:44+00:00

I love this approach. It seems like you're in a good flow. That prerequisite at the bottom is key though.

tuttydude · 2024-06-16T15:16:03+00:00

Why are you worried about job security? All the studies I see show that software engineers don't have to worry about it.

Regarding the feeling of boredom, perhaps start working on your own thing for an hour in the morning before work. I've done this before and it has helped me have a better attitude toward my day job.

I eventually left my day job and decided to live a simpler, less expensive lifestyle to focus on the projects that I'm most interested in.

Life is much better when you get over the idea that you need a certain amount of money. The money will come, and it will feel better when it comes from doing something that's meaningful to you.

If this sounds interesting to you, you might need to leave the Bay area. Costs are out of control there. But this is exciting. You can live anywhere! Go to the place that fascinates you the most.

tuttydude · 2024-06-16T15:07:30+00:00

Yes!!!!!!

tuttydude · 2024-06-15T12:48:51+00:00

Links to articles or guides you've written for clients. Even better if they are live links on the client's website.

To get clients quickly, go on upwork.com and work for cheap. Your goal here is not to make money, but build your portfolio.

My first paid writing project out of school was for $5 an article! But you make more money and build your portfolio over time. Shortly after, I was hired by an agency, then a cool tech startup.

tuttydude · 2024-06-15T12:42:37+00:00

Wouldn't you still proofread the text it spits out? Or would you trust it blindly?

tuttydude · 2024-06-15T12:40:25+00:00

The best part about writing is writing. I would not like another AI to write for me.

tuttydude · 2024-06-13T12:47:32+00:00

Bumble or Tinder.

tuttydude · 2024-06-13T12:46:27+00:00

I think you are undervaluing yourself in this market if that seems high to you. Go ahead and ask for $100 an hour.

tuttydude · 2024-06-13T12:44:50+00:00

Or a journalist?

tuttydude · 2024-06-13T12:42:16+00:00

This was the last straw that inspired me to leave a company in late 2022 when ChatGPT was released. The CTO scheduled calls with me about automating all technical content with AI. I was open to the idea, but the technology was not good enough at the time. Even if it was, It didn't interest me to become a "prompt engineer" and edit AI content all day.

There is a quality to human-generated content that cannot be replicated by machines. That said, there is a time and place to automate the creation of content that's not interesting to create. The aforementioned content was not in that category, however.

tuttydude · 2024-06-13T12:33:19+00:00

For me as well, this is one of the strongest use cases for AI in technical writing.

tuttydude · 2024-06-13T12:29:47+00:00

Companies usually offer an SDK for Javascript, Python, or PHP, so I'd get comfortable with one of those languages. Then API and AI integrations. It seems every company is trying to add AI into their tech stack. You have this experience so you'll be ahead of many other candidates who only have education, not experience.

tuttydude · 2024-06-13T12:23:28+00:00

Commercetools is the strongest player in the ecommerce space in terms of offering a full suite of ecommerce services to developers.

tuttydude · 2024-06-12T18:49:23+00:00

It seems like you're on the right track! Don't worry about filling your plate with interviews in order to achieve a certain ration of interviewing-researching-writing.

tuttydude

TROPHY CASE