You’re contemplating a new job as a one-person documentation team in a small software company. Maybe you’ve been part of a team in a large company, or worked solo as a contractor. What can you expect? I’m the only writer at a small software company but have also worked in larger organizations and as a contractor. Here are some bits of advice for new lone workers based purely on my own experience. Individual results may vary.
Training
Don’t expect any formal training. You may get some training on the company’s product, but don’t expect RoboHelp 101. Use all resources at your disposal to train yourself.
Keep up on the current software and amaze your manager. Some are even fun to use.
Since you’ll be basically on your own, you have to ask for what you need. Your manager may not know the specific software or hardware you need to do your job. Speak up.
Organization
Being organized is crucial. You have to be prepared for product changes with little notice. Be completely on top of what’s going into a release. Hope for the best but plan for the worst. Releases may not go out when they are supposed to. Be prepared for late releases or last-minute releases.
Make a plan for everything you do. I have an ongoing task list in Microsoft Word that I keep updating. When I’m done with a task, I copy and paste it into a Completed Tasks doc that I keep as a record for my own reference.
Start and keep an alphabetical list of terms, solutions to problems, tool tips, and other vital info. Don’t rely on your memory.
Picture a plate spinner with several plates spinning and you’re running back and forth keeping each plate spinning so it doesn’t fall and break. That’s how it is when you’re the lone writer in a small software company. You usually have several projects going at once and you have to be organized to keep them all on track.
Flexibility
Be realistic. My initial vision of tech writing, which involved sitting with a developer and taking notes while they explained a piece of software, has rarely materialized. Mostly, I’ve worked and learned on my own. Your duties also may not be what you expected. You may be writing less than you anticipated. You could be organizing content or serving as the contact person for the documentation.
Your manager may be flexible about your duties, so you may be able to structure your job. Managers usually only make assignments in a very general way and leave the details to you. For example, your manager may know that the customers need an installation guide for a new product by February, but how it’s written is basically up to you.
After you feel comfortable with your regular duties, look for opportunities to be involved in projects that interest you. Don’t think that because you’re the tech writer, that’s all you can do. Get into other areas. It will make you more necessary and valued, and you may well be the only person available to work on other projects. Besides my regular tasks, I’ve maintained part of our web site, been involved in revisions to our web site, proofread news releases, given feedback on our product UI, created non-documentation Word templates, recorded presentations to customers, and helped others with Word/Windows issues.
Be careful what extra tasks you take on because they will become an expected part of your job.
Be yourself and be an approachable resource. You’re working with human beings after all. Don’t try to be right all the time. You won’t be.
Being the only writer can be a rewarding experience, if you have the right attitude and strategy. You can gain the respect of your managers and coworkers who view you as a professional resource and an asset. In general, small companies offer more variety of work, more creativity, but less money. On the flip side, larger companies generally offer structure, are more bureaucratic, but offer more money and benefits. Depending on job availability, you can decide which environment is best for you. But don’t be afraid of being a lone writer.
