Did you know that the Guinness World Record for the longest book title belongs to an Italian book with 11,284 characters? Imagine trying to fit that on a book cover.

Thankfully, we’re keeping things much more concise in this issue.

This month, we’re talking AI tools that are changing the game for tech content professionals and why SEO as we know it is dying as we know it.

Speaking of AI tools that are helping tech content professionals 10x their productivity, say hello to Document360, our sponsor.

As a technical writer, you’re tasked with spending countless hours structuring content, refining terminology, and ensuring consistency across documentation.

But what if you didn’t have to waste time on these repetitive tasks?

What if there was a tool that freed up hours—so you could focus on high-impact work like improving user experience and expanding content strategy?

That’s exactly what Document360’s AI-powered knowledge base delivers.

With Eddy AI Article Writer feature, you can instantly generate well-structured content, refine tone, adjust readability, and even convert speech to text—all in just a few clicks. Need to expand an article or make it more concise? AI handles that too. Instead of manually creating FAQs, glossary terms, or charts, Document360 auto-generates them based on your content, ensuring consistency while saving time.

My favourite feature of all time is the AI Assistive Search. Readers can instantly find the answers they need—eliminating the frustration of sifting through multiple articles. This aligns with a key trend I explore in my latest article. AI is conditioning users to prefer and expect single, definitive answers, and businesses that adapt will stay ahead.

In an era where AI is redefining productivity, professionals who embrace it gain a competitive edge, and those who don’t get left behind. Don’t get left behind.

If you’re looking boost efficiency, and create engaging, user-friendly documentation and knowledge bases effortlessly, Document360 is the tool you’ve been waiting for.

Try it for free here.

Now let’s get into all the juicy content I have for you.

AI Tools That Are Changing the Game for Tech Writers

A few months ago, I started experimenting with AI tools to see how they could improve my writing workflow. I expected minor improvements; instead, I’ve experienced insane ease and speed.

Here are my standouts:

• Voiceblogging with Voicepal—Articulate your drafts verbally rather than facing a blank page. Voicepal transcribes, refines, and even asks follow-up questions to help shape ideas.

• Flowchart & Diagram Generation with NotesGPT.io – Generate flowcharts and diagrams instantly instead of wrestling with design tools. Saves hours.

• Podcasting with NotebookLM—Upload research material, and AI turns it into a conversational podcast. At work, we’ve started using it to automate podcast production.

• Talking Head Videos with Heygen & ElevenLabs— Create realistic AI avatars and voiceovers without stepping in front of a camera. Ideal for scalable video content.

The fifth one is my personal favorite and a game changer. Go read about it here.

If you haven't integrated AI into your content workflow yet, you're losing out on efficiency.

SEO Is a Sinking Ship. Are You Swimming or Drowning?

Remember when ranking #1 on Google meant guaranteed traffic? Those days are fading.

AI search tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity are changing how people find information. Instead of clicking through multiple articles, users now expect a single, definitive answer.

The result?

• 60% of Google searches now end without a click.

• Featured snippets, AI summaries, and “People Also Ask” boxes are burying organic results.

• Even if you rank #1, fewer people are clicking.

So, what’s next for content professionals?

• Should we optimize content for AI instead of humans?

• Should companies build their own AI-powered search agents?

• If broad, informational content is losing traffic, what kind of content should we focus on?

If you’ve been wondering how AI is reshaping content marketing, this deep dive is for you. Read the full piece here.

Interesting Finds on the Internet

• The Psychology of Content Writing: Learn how to make people obsessed and hooked on whatever you write.

• A Public Speaking Guide To Help You Get Rid of Filler Words

• Based in Africa & looking for a global remote job? Teju has built Scouthappy for you.

And that’s all I have for you this month. Be well and take care.

See you next month. Also share this newsletter with a developer advocate, technical writer, or any content professional in your network. Trust me, they’d thank you.

Real ones know that the new year starts in February. So, as the realest one there ever was, I’m here to wish you a proper HAPPY NEW YEAR on the third week of February.

For new subscribers, allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Linda, a wannabe guitarist who reads African literature or fiddles with a tennis racket to unwind while navigating the daily grind of helping growth-stage tech startups drive adoption and awareness of their products through tailored content strategies.

I am a software engineer, turned Developer Advocate Lead, and an MBA student at ESADE. I'm also authoring a book on Developer Advocacy for Individual Contributors with Apress, based on my experience helping companies navigate intricate technical markets, break down complexity, and engage effectively with both internal and external technical audiences.

Heh. Enough about me. How’s everyone doing? What new things have you been up to professionally?

This issue is packed with so much value, and I’m jealous of all the subscribers who will open this email today.

Also, we just got our first newsletter sponsor!!!!!!!!

Drumroll please. Say hello to Document360.

As a technical writer, you’re tasked with spending countless hours structuring content, refining terminology, and ensuring consistency across documentation.

But what if you didn’t have to waste time on these repetitive tasks?

What if there was a tool that freed up hours—so you could focus on high-impact work like improving user experience and expanding content strategy?

That’s exactly what Document360’s AI-powered knowledge base delivers.

With Eddy AI Article Writer feature, you can instantly generate well-structured content, refine tone, adjust readability, and even convert speech to text—all in just a few clicks. Need to expand an article or make it more concise? AI handles that too. Instead of manually creating FAQs, glossary terms, or charts, Document360 auto-generates them based on your content, ensuring consistency while saving time.

My favourite feature of all time is the AI Assistive Search. Readers can instantly find the answers they need—eliminating the frustration of sifting through multiple articles. This aligns with a key trend I explore in my latest article. AI is conditioning users to prefer and expect single, definitive answers, and businesses that adapt will stay ahead.

In an era where AI is redefining productivity, professionals who embrace it gain a competitive edge, and those who don’t get left behind. Don’t get left behind.

If you’re looking boost efficiency, and create engaging, user-friendly documentation and knowledge bases effortlessly, Document360 is the tool you’ve been waiting for.

Try it for free here.

Now let’s get into all the juicy content I have for you.

SEO is sinking ship. Swim or Drown?

A few years ago, Google was the go-to for almost every online search. That’s changing. People now turn to AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity for quick, aggregated answers, so they don’t have to sift through multiple articles.

If your content strategy still revolves around ranking for top-of-funnel keywords, you might be chasing a shrinking opportunity.

60% of Google searches now end without a single click. AI-generated summaries, paid ads, and “People Also Ask” boxes are burying organic results. So, even if your content ranks first, fewer people are clicking.

So, what does this mean for content professionals like technical content writers or developer advocates?

If SEO is losing traffic to AI chatbots, do we abandon SEO? Should we optimize content for AI instead of humans? Should companies build their own AI-powered search agents?

More importantly, if broad, informational content isn’t driving traffic anymore, what kind of content does?

If you’ve ever asked, “Now that AI is gaining traction, how will it affect content marketing?”—this article was written for you. Read the full piece here →.

What is Internal Developer Advocacy?

The first time I heard about internal developer advocacy was at the Copenhagen Developers Festival, where I met advocates from LEGO. I was intrigued—how was this different from the external DevRel I was used to?

So when I got the chance to chat with Dillion Megida, an internal developer advocate at Adyen, I asked all the questions:

• What is internal developer advocacy, and how does it differ from external DevRel?

• How do you measure success when there’s no external community?

• What challenges come with the role—and why might it be a career path worth considering?

Dillion’s insights on developer experience, cross-team advocacy, and proving impact inside a company were eye-opening. If you’ve ever wondered what an internal Dev Advocate does—or if it’s a role for you—this interview is a must-read.

Check out the full conversation here.

Interesting finds on the Internet

• Performance analytics for content teams

• How to use LinkedIn like a pro without driving yourself mad: 18 tips for training your LI algorithm

• Creating AI Avatars: How to Create Video Clones for Business

And that’s all I have for you this month. Be well and Take care.

See you next month.

Is this a safe space? I ask, as I slide back into your lives, as if it hasn’t been eight months since we last met.

Before I officially welcome you to November, how have you been? It has been much longer than a minute **covers face🫣**. I hope my letter finds you well and ready for new opportunities and insights in technical communication.

In my last letter to you, I spoke about resuming the regular cadence and failed; woefully. Life has been extremely busy. If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you’ll know I’ve been everywhere but here - Berlin, Copenhagen, and Barcelona to mention a few. But not to worry, I got a new PA, and can promise that some semblance of consistency will come upon this newsletter henceforth.

Some readers have mentioned their lack of experience in content writing due to the unavailability of gigs in their chosen fields. I have one thing to say: You cannot sit and wait for an opportunity to find you; you must make your own. If you decide that technical writing is your right path, take charge. Just write! Put yourself out there: write, upload, pitch, and apply. The next big opportunity awaits you.

Articles on the blog 🚀🚀

1. How to Become a Developer Advocate with Gift Egwuenu

Some weeks ago, I caught up with Gift Egwuenu, a celebrated public speaker, developer advocate, and tech content creator. I got her to spill the secrets of how she became a Developer Advocate, and how anyone can too. It’s the perfect read if you’re considering transitioning into developer advocacy. There are too many hidden gems you can’t afford to miss! Read it here.

2. Is it time to leave that Junior role?

I started a new series on the blog: Linda’s Career Tidbits. It’s a new series where I’ll be answering frequent career questions I’m asked. While these pieces may not be strictly focused on technical writing or technical communication careers, they would be generally helpful. If you have any of such questions you’d like to have me answer, reply or comment on this newsletter.

I’ve had the privilege of mentoring a couple of newbie professionals, and one question I’m often asked is, “At what point do I stop identifying as a junior professional?”. I answer that in this piece. Read it here and let me know what you think.

3. Public Speaking Hacks to Help You Give Engaging Presentations Worldwide

Public speaking is both an art and a science. In this piece, I share tips that have helped me give engaging presentations worldwide. If you’re trying to get into conference speaking (which by the way is one of the way to travel the world for free), you should read it here.

Job opportunities

• Technical Writer II: Up to $80,000 a year at SDV International (Remote Anywhere)

• Senior Developer Relations Advocate at ConsenSys: Full-time up to $200,000 annually (Remote, Oregon, United States)

• Developer Advocacy: Full-time senior role at Meta (Remote Anywhere)

• Draft.dev is seeking technical writers with DevOps engineering experience: Starting at $300 per 1,500 words (Remote Anywhere)

• Web Performance Advocate/Technical Writer at DebugBear (Remote Anywhere)

Interesting finds on the web

As usual, I've got some gems for you.

The first is a practical guide that details 25 battle-tested tips from top startup leaders on taking ownership of your professional future. Read this article to learn how to make the shift to the driver of your career journey.

💡 Quick Tip of the Month

My career hack for November is networking. We’ve all heard it, we’ve been told it’s essential for any successful career, but how does one network?

Angie Jones, a rockstar engineering leader, tweeted that networking is the career hack many are missing. I took the opportunity of asking how, so you don't have to (don't mention it, you're welcome), and in typical tech community spirit, so many experts chimed in to share how they've successfully networked.

I promise you, you’ll probably never find a better resource on networking that this. Go through the response to my comment and that of Angie’s quoted tweet to pick up some interesting practical and actionable ways to expand your network.

And that’s all I have for you for now.

Till I write you next time, stay good.

If you found this edition valuable, please leave a comment. I need the validation 🥺🙏🤲🙇🧎. Also, be your brothers keeper, share this newsletter with a technical writer, technical content writer or developer advocate you know. If they ask you why they should subscribe, show them this.

Before I get into what I have for you this month, I wanted to bring your attention to this tweet I made, which blew up. Given how popular Chat GPT has become and how it can help make us more productive at our jobs, that was maybe expected.

Click on the image to see the full thread and learn something new about using Chat GPT effectively:

Answering your questions

A community member recently asked me to hook her up with Product Content Writer Communities. For a long time I pondered on what the difference was between a product writer and a technical writer—hiring managers and creating conflicting titles all the time.

According to her, a product writer works with the product team to create content for customer facing experiences and build product documentation, often tasked with product descriptions, feature guides, user manuals, FAQs, and the like.

Now, this is funny because this is what a technical writer’s duty will entail. But I guess when you’re working with an end-user product that isn’t technical and isn’t targeted at technical users, the role changes to Product Writer. Other companies might call a role like that Copywriter or UX writer, or so on.

For specific product writing communities, I have researched and didn’t quite find any community specific to product writing. However, if you find yourself in this specific shoe, general writing communities, technical writing communities, copywriting communities, UX writer communities, or product marketing communities like this one may do you some good:

• Content Marketing Institute

• Product Marketing Alliance

• ProBlogger Community

• Product Coalition

Articles on the blog 🚀🚀

No new articles on the blog, but if you haven’t read these ones already, you should totally go check them out:

My Self Editing Checklist For Technical Writing
How To Create A Technical Writing Portfolio
How To Write Content That Readers Will Read Based On Learnings From User Psychology

Interesting finds on the web

1. How to make yourself into a learning machine: Simon Eskildsen, an engineer at Shopify, has a system for reading, retaining, and applying the knowledge he gains from books. He reads 30-50 books each year on a wide range of topics, and he uses a variety of tools to help him remember what he reads. This system has helped him become a better engineer. Read more…

2. 5 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block as a Technical Writer: As a technical writer, overcoming writer’s block can be a challenge, but you can overcome it with the right strategies. Some of these strategies include keeping a notebook to jot down ideas, writing about workplace dynamics, demystifying technical concepts, creating listicles, and sharing your expertise and opinions.

   You should read about these strategies here…

3. Technical Writing with AI: Ways to Use AI Writing Assistant to Write Technical Content: AI writing tools are transforming the field of technical writing, enabling writers to produce high-quality content more efficiently. This article highlights seven of the most effective AI-powered tools that provide a range of functionalities, from grammar and spelling checking to content generation, plagiarism detection, outlining, research, and note-taking. Read more…

4. The Role of Simplification in Technical writing: Simplification is important in technical writing because it makes the information easier to understand for the reader. This can be done by using plain language, breaking down complex concepts into smaller steps, using visuals, avoiding passive voice, and writing in short, concise sentences. Read more on the role of simplification in technical writing here…

5. Start — Or End — Your Day With Math: Some people believe starting the day with a math problem can help boost productivity. Data scientist and mathematician Keith McNulty suggests that solving a math problem can generate an endorphin hit and provide a sense of confidence. Writer Eve Arnold, on the other hand, prefers to start the morning in a more basic way, without anything elaborate or time-consuming. Read more here…

Technical Writing Events You Should Check Out

Real World AI Applications for Technical Writing/Editing - Dec 8

Ask Me Anything About Writing a Technical Book About Microsoft Azure - Dec 14

Write the Docs Australia 2023 - December 7-8

Focused conversation: Conference talks (and other ways to show off what we know) - Dec 15

Jobs & Opportunities

Qdrant Technical Documentation Lead (Remote Anywhere)

EclecticIQ Senior Technical Writer (Remote In Netherlands, EU/UK)

Sticker Mule X API Engineer (Remote Anywhere)

Sourcegraph Technical Program Manager (Remote Anywhere)

Substack Podcast & Video Acquisition & Development Lead (Remote Anywhere)

UX Writing Editor-in-Chief (Remote In California, United States. Offers Relocation)

Last Words 😉

This might be the last newsletter for the year, so I wish you a prosperous and fulfilling 2024 ahead. May the new year be filled with opportunities to grow, learn, and positively impact the world.

Remember, you have the power to create an extraordinary life. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and chase your dreams. The world is waiting for you to explore, learn from it, and make it a better place.

As usual, if you know a budding technical writer or tech content creator, share this newsletter with them. I can promise you that you’ll be doing them a solid.

Also, share our articles on Twitter, and let’s see some more growth next month.

Lastly, If you have any idea on how I can make this newsletter more valuable or accommodating for you, don’t hesitate to hit the reply button or reach out on Twitter.

Thanks for being a part of my journey, and I can’t wait to catch up with you all next month. Until next time, may your journey be filled with wonder and your heart with joy.

And that’s all I have for you this month.

It has been a while. How have you been? It is Q4. How has the other Q’s been so far? Are you still chasing your dreams or dreaming new ones? Let me share a story. I said to myself that I wanted more physical international speaking engagements at the start of this year, and the universe literally said, ‘Hold my beer’. Na so so waka I don dey waka since then. You should know what you want and work towards it. Then watch as the universe opens the door for you.

Good news! We now have a Twitter account. You should follow us.

Now to what I have for you today:

There are new updates at the end of today’s newsletter that I’m sure you won’t want to miss.

New article on the blog 🚀🚀

How To Generate Content Ideas For Technical Writing

We all know content writing is not easy, but the finished work is what makes it worthwhile. Writer’s block can affect writers at any stage, and the truth is it happens to all of us. Just ask any writer, and they’ll tell you the same thing. Sometimes, you sit down and stare at a blank page while trying to figure out what to write. I know how frustrating it is, so I wrote this article to help. Read it here.

Hacktoberfest and how you can find projects to contribute to.

Have you ever thought about what Hacktoberfest is all about and how you can find projects to contribute to as a technical writer but don't know where to start? No worries—I've got your back!

As a technical writer, you can participate in Hacktoberfest by contributing to open-source projects in ways that leverage your expertise in documentation and communication. My latest article talks about how you can easily find projects to jump into and some helpful resources to get you started.

Check it out here.

Interesting finds on the web

The future of software dev is actually *not* AI

How to Contribute to Open-Source Projects – Git & GitHub Workflow for Beginners

How can we safely utilize AI in technical writing?

Top 5 Tips to Enhance Your Technical Writing Skills

Jobs & Opportunities

HubSpot is hiring a fully remote Associate Developer Advocate

Entrust is hiring a senior Technical Writer

Semaphore is looking for Technical Writers

Draft.dev is hiring remotely for developers who like to write

Stack Builders is hiring remotely for Technical Writers in the United States

5X is hiring remotely for a Product Technical Writer

Prospus is hiring remotely for a Technical Writer for their software products

Awesome Motive is hiring for a Technical Content Writer

Peloton is hiring for a remote Technical Writer in the United States

Strapi is looking for a Technical Writer (Internship)

Last Words 😉

Thanks for reading. Remember, life's too short not to enjoy every moment. Wishing you all a fantastic day and an even better tomorrow!

And that’s all I have for you this month.

As usual, if you know a budding technical writer or tech content creator, share this newsletter with them. I can promise you that you’ll be doing them a solid.

Also, share our articles on Twitter, and let’s see some more growth next month.

Lastly, If you have any idea on how I can make this newsletter more valuable or accommodating for you, don’t hesitate to hit the reply button or reach out on Twitter.

Till I write you next month (hopefully), stay jiggy!!

Like the popular Nigerian pidgin adage goes: “Na when person wake, na em en own morning start”. For my non-Nigerian subscribers, it simply means that whenever a person wakes up is when their own morning begins. Since I’m sending the first issue of this newsletter, for this year, in March, my own year just started, so accept my new year greetings with glee.

January was just me trying to ease into 2023 and sort out all 'the let’s circle back on this in the new year'. And out of the four weeks in February, I was traveling for three, so I’m only just now settling down.

Tbh, this is me right now:

Anyway, enough of my complaints. How are you all?

Guess what? We’re now at 1300 subscribers and counting!!!! When Revue shut down, and I had to move this newsletter to Substack, my biggest fear was that subscription rate would take a dive since most people will not be able to organically sign up for the newsletter from my Twitter profile. Guess I was wrong because even without sending out any new issues, we’ve gained almost 200 new subscribers.

To my new subscribers, welcome. It’s so great to have you here. Take some time to read some of the former issues. You might find a gem waiting for you.

Now to what I have for you today:

New on the blog 🚀🚀

On seeking actionable documentation feedback

For this month’s #techcontentcreatorseries, I spoke with Damilola Oladele. We discussed what it's like to be an Outreachy intern. We also talked about how the Wagtail team leverages its open-source community to get actionable documentation feedback to continually improve their documentation.

You should go read this. It’s really good.

And if you like it, share it on your socials with the #techcontentcreatorseries. Someone else on your timeline might like it too. Be generous 😉.

Read it here.

Navigating career transitions

If you're just starting out in tech or thinking about making a career switch and wondering where to start or how to proceed, you should read this. As a serial transitioner myself, I’ve had my fair share of transitions: from cloud engineer, to frontend engineer, to technical writer, to dev advocacy, so I have quite some transitioning experience. In this article, I share tips that have helped me make these successful transitions.

Read it here.

Interesting finds on the web

• The best practices for tech writing

• Technical Writer Cross-Team Collaboration to Develop Good Documentation

• How to Make Product Videos in 7 Simple Steps

• Using ChatGPT for technical writing

Job Opportunities

• Canonical is hiring Technical Authors

• Deel is hiring a technical writer

• Catchy is looking to add a technical writer to their team

• Xqmsg is looking for part-time hire to help with writing customer-facing docs for their products, including how-tos and onboarding materials. Send an email to josh.szepesi@xqmsg.com.

Last Words 😉

To all my women, HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S MONTH. Keep thriving, and being the badass that you are.

And, that’s all I have for you this month.

As usual, if you know a budding technical writer or tech content creator, share this newsletter with them. I can promise you that you’ll be doing them a solid.

Also, share our articles on Twitter, and let’s see some more growth next month.

Lastly, If you have any idea on how I can make this newsletter more valuable or accommodating for you, don’t hesitate to hit the reply button or reach out on Twitter.

Till I write you on the 20th of next month (hopefully), stay jiggy!!

Platform Migrations:

So Revue (the platform this newsletter is hosted on) is shutting down. That means that for me to continue sending this newsletter next year, I have to migrate to a new platform.

Also, Heroku (the platform that the everythingtechnicalwriting website is hosted on) has become ridiculously expensive. I cannot continue to commit $15/month just to host a site that doesn't make me any money.

What this means is that you won't be hearing from me till mid or ending February next year. I'll be taking some time to migrate the newsletter and blog to new and better platforms. Gracias!

Newsletter Cadence

After one year of trying and failing to make this newsletter a bi-monthly affair, I have given up. I have concluded that with the number of things I juggle and my numerous responsibilities, it's next to impossible for me to send this newsletter twice a month. I'll permanently stick to once a month. So if you've been hoping for a bi-monthly cadence, I invite you to give up with me.

Also, for next year, I plan to consistently send out this newsletter on the 20th of every month. Why 20th? Well, 20 is a special number, and it's perfect for my chronic procrastinative ass. LOL, keep me accountable.

New on the blog 🚀🚀

ETW 2022 review

Sometimes, it's easy for us to be so fixated on things that haven't happened that we lose sight of things that have happened and end up thinking that we're not making any progress.

As the year comes to an end, it was important for me to look at how far the blog and newsletter have come, and I couldn't be more grateful. We did good, and we'll do better next year!

The image below is a snapshot of a few heart-warming validations the newsletter has received in the past couple of months.

You can read the full gist here.

(P.S: If this newsletter has impacted you or been of help to you in any way, send me a message and tell me about it. I promise not to let it get to my head)

A thing or two about API Documentation

For this episode of #TCCS, My guest was Fortune Ikechi, a Developer Relations Engineer with Storyblok. At Storyblok, one of his primary responsibilities is to document APIs and ensure developers have all the information they need to effectively use Storyblok's API. In this episode, he talks about what goes into API documentation, his transition from frontend developer to Developer Relations Engineer, and everything else in between.

Fortune's story reinforces the importance of consistently putting yourself out there and obsessing over quality delivery. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did putting it together! Read it here.

Interesting finds on the web

Whatever skill you outsource, it atrophies. When we outsource tasks to machines to perform, our ability to perform the task ourselves weakens. From driving to writing, automation threatens to reduce key elements of the human experience.

Technical Writing Interview Questions and Answers

Suggested tools for technical writers. Contribute to heyawhite/tech-writing-tools development by creating an account on GitHub.

For the past two years, I have been involved with technical writing on a variety of web development... Tagged with writing.

Jobs & Opportunities

It's Christmas, try and rest. You've hustled enough this year. We go again next year :)

Parting Words 😉

Love and Light ❤️.

Till I write you next year, stay jiggy!

TCCS #8: Behind The Scenes; What It Took To Write Docs For Developers, With Jared Bhatti

Have you heard of or read this book below????

Well, if you have, you'll understand why I'm so hyped about this particular Tech Content Creator Series.

For the new subscribers:

The Tech Content Creator Series is a monthly interview series in which I interview people in technical content creation roles (i.e. technical writers, documentation engineers, developer advocates, and what have you) about their careers. My hope is for their stories to inspire, motivate, and hopefully impact you.

This month, my guest was Jared Bhatti, who was the lead author for Docs for Developers. In this episode, Jared spills the beans on what it took to write the Docs for Developers book, his time at Google as a Technical Writer in various capacities, and his current role at Waymo (the autonomous driving technology company from the Google self-driving car project).

It's such a great and fun read, I promise. Find the full story here.

Musings from recording and editing my first YouTube video

Sometime on Twitter (probably last month), I announced that I was making my first explanatory YouTube video and that I would write about my process. Well, I did.

In this article, I share my process and what it took for me to record and edit my first explanatory YouTube videos. It's basically an article on how not to suck at your first ' make a YouTube video assignment'.

Read everything here.

Interesting finds on the web

Creating a brand new documentation system at a young company can be both exhilarating and overwhelming at the same time. In this talk, you'll hear how the first team of writers at a tech startup built a new documentation system from the ground up.

Coders spend a lot of time on their editor setup, why shouldn’t writers have great tools too? Quick overview of the VSCode extensions I am finding most useful for my documentation docs-as-cod…

Jobs & Opportunities

• The Hackmamba Jamstack Content Hackathon is back again! Stand a chance to win $1000, $800, and $500 for first, second, and third place, respectively, for the best content. Deadline is 2nd November, so hurry.

• Do you have a background in data engineering or backend engineering and a desire to share your knowledge through writing? Airbyte is looking for contributor writers and will pay $900 for a 1500-word post. See more info here.

• Medusa is looking for a Technical Content Writer. The role is fully remote and junior-friendly. Apply here.

• Swirdls Labs is looking for a junior technical writer. Apply here.

• Mysten Labs is looking for a technical writer. Apply here.

• The founders of Amnic are looking for a tech content creator (a.k.a engineers turned writers). Drop Nimish a message on LinkedIn, and tell him Linda sent you.

Parting Words 😉

That’s all I have for you this month.

As usual, if you know a budding technical writer or tech content creator, share this newsletter with them. I can promise you that you’ll be doing them a solid.

Also, share our articles on Twitter. Good news, we're now at almost 930 subscribers!!!! 70 more, and we'll be at 1000. To all of you sharing this newsletter, thank you so much! Still, don't forget to keep sharing 🥺.

Lastly, If you have any idea on how I can make this newsletter more valuable or accommodating for you, don’t hesitate to hit the reply button or reach out on Twitter.

Till I write you in December, stay jiggy!

TCCS #7: Google Season Of Docs: Everything You Need To Know To Get Accepted

For the new subscribers:

The Tech Content Creator Series is a monthly interview series in which I interview people in technical content creation roles (i.e. technical writers, documentation engineers, developer advocates, and what have you) about their careers. My hope is for their stories to inspire, motivate, and hopefully impact you.

This month's #TechContentCreatorSeries took a welcome twist. Instead of one person, I interviewed three persons. I spoke with Amarachi, Funke, and Nelson who are all current Google Season of Docs interns to spill the beans on how they got in and their experience so far. They also answered some burning questions from the community. Read all about it here.

Much Ado about Documentation Structure

Just like naming things in programming, figuring out documentation structure from scratch is every technical writer's nemesis. In this article, I share personal tips on what I do to get started.

Read it here.

Interesting reads on the web

Tom Johnson (one of my fav tech writers) recently spoke to some technical writing interns at his work on the topic of career advice. The topic was as follows: What advice would you give to those just starting out their technical writing career? Imagine turning back the clock 20 years. What advice would be most helpful? This post expands on some of these ideas.

Often we struggle to write docs, especially when it’s something that isn’t explicitly part of our job or one of our passions. Like a chore, though, we know it still needs to be done.

Not sure what to do if you've been laid off? From filing for unemployment to finding a new job, here's a step-by-step breakdown of everything you need to know.

Jobs & Opportunities

• Outreachy December 2022 internship applications are open for December 2022 to March 2023 internships. The initial application system opened on Aug. 9, 2022, at 4 pm UTC, and the due date for applying is Aug. 29, 2022, at 4 pm UTC. Don't sleep on this opportunity.

• Stedi is hiring a technical content marketing writer

• Staker is looking for freelance technical writers globally who have knowledge of Kubernetes; or who have developer background and are passionate to learn and write about Kubernetes; you can dm or drop me an email at rasheed@stakater.com

Events

• Write the Docs is hosting Starting Docs in a Startup: A First-in-the-Door Experience on the 30th of August. Creating a brand new documentation system at a young company can be both exhilarating and overwhelming at the same time. In this talk, you'll hear how the first team of writers at a tech startup built a new documentation system from the ground up. Register for this event here.

Last Words 😉

That’s all I have for you this month.

As usual, if you know a budding technical writer or tech content creator, share this newsletter with them. I can promise you that you’ll be doing them a solid.

Also, share our articles on Twitter, and let’s see some more growth next month (we added almost 100 new subscribers last month!!!)

Lastly, If you have any idea on how I can make this newsletter more valuable or accommodating for you, don’t hesitate to hit the reply button or reach out on Twitter.

Till I write you next month, stay jiggy!!

TCCS #6: How to handle managers who do not understand the technical writing role (+ Debunking common myths about Technical Writing)

The 6th episode of the #TechContentCreatorSeries is live!!!

For the new subscribers:

The Tech Content Creator Series is a monthly interview series in which I interview people in technical content creation roles (i.e. technical writers, documentation engineers, developer advocates, and what have you) about their careers. My hope is for their stories to inspire, motivate, and hopefully impact you.

In this episode, I sat down with Elisa Sawyer who is a Documentation Architect with over 20 years of extensive technical writing experience working with several high-tech companies like Google, Uber, Apple, and Visa.

We chatted briefly about how she got into technical writing. Then she dropped some gems on what to do when you find yourself working with managers who don't understand the role of technical writers, and also debunked some popular technical writing myths.

My favourite quote from the interview was:

It's common for technical writers to continue to improve their technical knowledge and skills. Paradoxically, it's less common for technical writers to continue to reach for advanced writing skills. I have found that taking classes in both fiction writing and writing screenplays for feature films has helped me become a better technical writer. My advice is to treat our profession as any other profession that requires continuing education and regularly treat yourself to educational opportunities.

Read the full interview here.

My Technical Writing Self Editing Checklist

As vital as editors are, you may not always have access to them for various reasons. Perhaps, you're working as a lone tech writer, and your company does not have the budget to hire or contract an editor, or you're writing for your personal blog. In such situations, self-editing becomes an invaluable skill.

In this article, I share my self-editing process and the exact editing checklist I use to improve the quality of my writing.

Read it here.

A Technical Writer's Introduction To Docs As Code

Sometime last month, about two people DM'ed me with questions that read something along the lines of:

"My fellow interns and I are working on a documentation project. How can we set up our documentation project such that by the end of the GSOD internship, if people stumble on a fix, they can contribute via GitHub pull request, and once it is merged, it will be automatically published in the docs?".

In this article, I share what you need to know to set up docs-as-code for your documentation team to foster better collaboration between writers and developers.

Read it here.

Job Opportunities

1. Entry-Level Technical Writer at Dice (fully remote)

2. Remote Junior Technical Writer at Dune

Get a diploma in technical writing!

Have you always wanted to get a professional technical writing certificate to command more credibility and opportunities? These diploma programs are what you need. The best part is they're fully online from accredited universities. Check these out:

• UC Berkeley Extension program on Technical Communication

• San Jose University program on Professional & Technical Writing Communication

• Buffalo State College Technical Writing Undergraduate Certificate

Interesting resources on twitter

Parting Words 😉

That’s all I have for you this month.

As usual, if you know a budding technical writer or tech content creator, share this newsletter with them. I can promise you that you’ll be doing them a solid.

Also, share our articles on Twitter, and let’s see some more growth next month.

Lastly, If you have any idea on how I can make this newsletter more valuable or accommodating for you, don’t hesitate to hit the reply button or reach out on Twitter.

Till I write you next month, stay jiggy!!

#TCCS5: What does a technical writer at Google do? (+ Interviewing tips)

The 5th episode of the #TechContentCreatorSeries has been published!!! This one is very juicy and has me all giddy.

For the new subscribers:

The Tech Content Creator Series is a monthly interview series in which I interview people in technical content creation roles (i.e. technical writers, documentation engineers, developer advocates, and what have you) about their careers. My hope is for their stories to inspire, motivate, and hopefully impact you.

This month, my guest was Alexandra White. Alexandra is a technical writer for Google Chrome, where she writes documentation for Privacy Sandbox. She also co-chairs the documentation accessibility working group and has given several talks on documentation.

In this episode, we talk about how she became a technical writer, how she was able to scale the Google Interview process, what she does at Google, and some secret tips to help newbies grow their careers.

Read all about it here.

What to expect from technical writer interviews (my personal experience)

More interviewing content!!!! It's interviewing season and I know some people are either looking to land their first roles or switch jobs.

I've also been interviewing for technical writing/documentation roles, partly to improve my interviewing skills and also to see what opportunities are out there.

In this article, I talk about what most technical writer interview processes are like and some of the most common questions I've been asked during these interviews.

Read all about it here.

What is technical content marketing?

After the last #TCCS episode with William, who is the founder of a technical content marketing agency, I had a couple of people asking what technical content marketing was all about.

You see, as a technical writer, writing documentation is not the only path you can venture into. There are other paths, of which technical content marketing is one.

In this article, I try to explain what technical content marketing is and what it could mean for you as a technical writer or developer writer.

Read all about it here.

Upcoming events

How Startups Build Lean Developer Education Programs

This event will happen on June 23rd and will be hosted by Karl Hughes from Draft.dev. You can register for it here: https://info.appsembler.com/en-us/how-startups-build-lean-developer-education-programs

Interesting resources/ What I've been reading

1. A Practical Guide to Information Architecture: I've been learning about information architecture and optimal documentation structure a lot. By a stroke of luck, I found this freely downloadable book written by Donna Spencer (an OG in the field).

2. I've also been curating a list of interesting reads on developer marketing and documentation on a Twitter thread. You should check it out.

Job Opportunities

1. Canonical is hiring over 20 Technical Authors across different levels. They're looking for people who are good at and care about communicating, are technically curious, and have some software and programming skills. Give it a shot!

Updates

The Write the Docs conference, Portland 2022 started yesterday, and I've been so pumped about it.

Yesterday's highlight was the writing day documentation sprints, where participants had the opportunity to contribute to some open-source documentation projects (I got to contribute to the MDN docs!!!).

The main event will kick off today with several amazing talks on documentation. If you're attending, say hi. If you're not, don't worry, I've got you covered. I'll be publishing a recap on my blog next month, so you don't have to miss out.

Parting Words 😉

That's all I have for you this month. I hope it was worth the wait.

As usual, if you know a budding technical writer or tech content creator, share this newsletter with them. I can promise you that you'll be doing them a solid.

Also, share our articles on Twitter, and let’s see some more growth next month.

Lastly, If you have any idea on how I can make this newsletter more valuable or accommodating for you, don’t hesitate to hit the reply button or reach out on Twitter.

Till I write you next month, stay jiggy!!

How To Create A Technical Writing Portfolio

I finally wrote it. In this article, I share some tips to help you put together a comprehensive technical writing portfolio that will blow recruiters and hiring managers away.

Read it here.

My review of the Technical Writer Certification Course from Technical Writer HQ.

Last month, two of my Twitter followers asked me if the aforementioned course was worth taking. To provide an honest review, I bought and completed the course.

Read the review here.

TCCS#4: Tips For Freelancing As A Technical Writer And Starting A Technical Content Marketing Agency With William.

💃💃💃 The 4th episode of the #TechContentCreatorSeries has been published.

For the new subscribers:

The Tech Content Creator Series is a monthly interview series in which I interview people in technical content creation roles (i.e. technical writers, documentation engineers, developer advocates, and what have you) about their careers. My hope is for their stories to inspire, motivate, and hopefully impact you.

For this episode, I got to speak with William Imoh, who is the founder of Hackmamba, a budding Technical Content Marketing agency. He talked about how technical writing and volunteering helped him make a name for himself during the early days of his career. He also shared valuable tips on how to land clients as a freelance tech writer.

You should read it here!

Upcoming events

Here are some interesting upcoming technical writing events that you should definitely join if you can.

1. Creating Documentation Developers Will Love (and Use!)

This online meetup is hosted by the write the docs community in Florida. Sean Keegan, a Developer Advocate for Postman, will talk about generating reference documentation your API consumers will love to optimizing time to first call (TTFC). She'll cover everything you need to do to ensure your users a fantastic API experience.

Check out the details here!

2. Write the Docs Portland 2022 is happening in May, and tickets are out!!

Write the docs Portland is one of the biggest tech conferences on software documentation. Check out the talk lineups here, and buy a ticket, or ask your employers to buy you one. It'll be so worth it!

Jobs

My friend is hiring a Technical Writer for Softcom (Eyowo). They're looking for someone with a bit of documentation experience, and pay can be negotiated up to 1 million Naira.

Read the full job requirement here, and if you're feeling lucky, send your resume, and portfolio to abraham@softcom.xyz.

Worthy Tweets

This thread sheds light on some common words writers are fond of misusing. Check it out. You might learn a thing or two to improve your writing.

Last words!

I recently discovered this podcast: 10-minute Tech Comm, and I've been listening to it. The episodes revolve around the best practices of software documentation and technical writing in general. You might want to check it out.

And that's all I have for you for this month.

As usual, if you know anyone who would benefit from the content of this newsletter, share it with them.

Also, share our articles on Twitter, and let's see some more growth next month.

P.S, If you have any idea on how I can make this newsletter more valuable or accommodating for you, don’t hesitate to hit the reply button or reach out on Twitter.

Till I write you next month, Ciao!!

This newsletter has been growing at a steady rate of 100 new subscribers every month, and I'm very grateful for that. It goes to show that we're doing something right.

At the beginning of this year, I told myself that this newsletter would go out on the 7th of every month. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do that this month.

Linda: 0, Consistency: 1

In my defense though, I've had a lot to do (If you check the website, you'd see it has a new look 👀), and I didn't want to send out a half-baked newsletter.

Anyway, Tuesday was International Women's Day. To all the beautiful women here, I see you, I appreciate you, and I celebrate you. Keep being phenomenal.

Now, down to business.

New on the blog:

1) #TCCS3 From Staff Technical Writer to Developer Advocate; Read Amruta Ranade’s story

For the benefit of our new subscribers, TCCS (The Tech Content Creator Series) is a monthly interview series where I chat with people in technical content creation roles (i.e. technical writers, documentation engineers, developer advocates, and what have you) about their careers. My hope is for these stories to inspire, motivate, and hopefully impact you.

This month, I sat down with an OG in the technical writing space, Amruta Ranade.

Amruta has worked as a Technical Writer for over ten years, progressing from Technical Writer to Senior Technical Writer to Staff Technical Writer to Developer Advocate and back to Staff Technical Writer.

In this episode, she talks about her transition from developer advocacy back to technical writing and the valuable lessons she learned along the way. She also shared some valuable career advice based on her wealth of experience.

Read all about it here.

2) How to write articles that your readers will actually read

Do you know that users read through the content on a webpage only 16% of the time? Well, that's because most web content are not optimized for the way users read.

In this article — based on my learnings from user psychology — I talk about how you can tailor your writing to align with how users read on the web, in order to capture their attention and increase the likelihood of them reading your articles.

Read all about it here.

3) 2 proven ways to make money as a freelance technical writer

The bulk of this article used to be my pinned tweet, I just added more details.

This article discusses two ways developer writers (both newbie and experienced) can some extra bucks from freelance writing, while also building up their technical writing portfolio.

I also talk about how to pitch article ideas (which is one question I get asked all the time).

Read all about it here.

Jobs

• CodinGame is looking for freelance tech writers to help them create articles of ~ 1500 on Tech team management, Career growth / Upskilling, Keeping up with Tech trends, Developer retention, e.t.c. They're paying $200 - $300 per article. If you're interested in this, reach out to me, and I'll link you up with their head of content.

• Semaphore is looking for someone with a demonstrated ability to write for developers to join them as a technical writer. Apply here

• NextPay is hiring a remote Technical Writer Intern. Check it out here.

• Bloomreach is also hiring a Technical Writer Intern. Check it out here.

The job opportunities I share here are mainly those shared with me by my professional network. However, if you're looking for more job opportunities for technical writers, startup.jobs has a massive listing of companies hiring technical writers :)

Resources handpicked from the web just for you

1) This thread on Twitter contains common grammatical word-related mistakes that I see a lot of writers make. Definitely recommend reading.

2) This huge-ass thread on Reddit will answer all or most of the questions you have about the technical writing career — salaries, education, getting started, e.t.c

Welcome to r/technicalwriting! Please follow the instructions in this thread before asking anything similar to "what's a good salary for a...

Final Words

1) Every month, I put in a lot of effort to write articles on the everythingtechnicalwriting.com blog, and also interview these industry OGs, just for you.

I only ask that you do one thing in return for me: share this newsletter to help other people like you find it.

As usual, the sharer with the most engagement wins a gift from me.

👇

Click the arrow next to the link :)

2) At the start of the year, a lady reached out to me that she wanted to work on everythingtechnicalwriting.com with me. Please, if you're reading this, reach out to me on Twitter again. I can't find your handle, and I finally have something you can help with, and it'll be paid.

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Well, that's all I have for you today. Till I write you next time, stay safe and keep grinding!!

P.S, If you have any idea on how I can make this newsletter more valuable and accommodating for you, don't hesitate to hit the reply button or reach out on Twitter.

Bye.

Yes you. How are you? I hope this year has been kind to you so far and that things are falling in place for you?

Well, if they aren't yet, this is the universe speaking through me to tell you that you should keep grinding and stay expectant. Something hoooge is about to happen :)

Oh, and yes, HAPPY NEW MONTH !!!!

Now into what I have for you today:

New on the blog

A new episode of the Tech Content Creator Series is live on the blog at everythingtechnicalwriting.com.

For the new subscribers, the Tech Content Creator Series is a monthly interview series in which I interview people in technical content creation roles (i.e. technical writers, documentation engineers, developer advocates, and what have you) about their careers. My goal is to inspire, motivate, and hopefully impact you in some way.

This month, my guest was Cynthia. Cynthia is currently a Technical writer at Sterling One bank and the @ company. In this episode, she shared her journey to becoming a technical writer and some tips on how to stand out on Upwork and ace technical writing interviews.

Read the full article here.

Jobs

I've got a lot of jobs for you this month, all of which are entry-level friendly and fully remote.

1. WizardOnDemand is looking for Technical Content Writers for Software Topics. WizardOnDemand is a Technical Content Marketing agency for SaaS companies like CodeSandBox. You can join them on a part-time or a full-time freelance basis.

2. Appsmith is hiring a Technical Writer. AppSmith is a low-code tool for building internal tools. Apply here.

3. BirdsEatBug are hiring Freelance Technical Writers. If you have a technical background, and you have a knack for writing, they want to pay you to write articles for them. Apply here.

4. Surge is hiring a Web 3 Writer. Surge is a female-led startup focused on educating and securing women’s place in Web3. Apply here.

5. Open Strategy Partners Gmbh is hiring Technical & Documentation Writer for a long term contract. Apply here

6. Outreachy internship 2022 is now open. Outreachy is a paid, remote internship program. Their goal is to support people from groups underrepresented in tech and help get started contributing to open source. Interns are paid a total of $7000 for the duration of their 3 months internship. Want to gain documentation experience and still make cash, Apply here.

I curate these job ads with the assumption that my audience is majorly entry-level technical writers. If you'd like to see more advanced or mid-level full-time roles, let me know.

Moving on, before I go on, I'd like to ask you for a little favour.

If this newsletter or the everythingtechnicalwriting blog has been of help to you in any way, share this newsletter on your Twitter or WhatsApp for more people to find it.

P.S: I'd be giving a udemy course to the person that gets the most retweet. Just tag me @_Mslinda.

Click on the link below 👇🏾

Twitter threads you should read

This section is for twitter posts or threads that I think would be useful to you.

What's next?

1. A lot of people have asked me about how to put together a technical writing portfolio for job applications. I'd be writing about that next. Be expectant!

2. We're redesigning the blog to make it faster and more seamless. You'd love it. Watch out for that.

And that's all I have for you.

Till I write you next time, Spread kindness ❤️