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Rating: 
Summary: A particular bargain
Review: I am a career counselor and am always on the lookout for the definitive book on individual careers. This could well be the definitive book for people contemplating becoming tech writers or for those already in their field who may be struggling a bit.It starts out providing the equivalent of an informational interview--the info you'd get by talking with a few tech writers about what the career is really like. For example, there's a fine section, "A Day in the Life of a Tech Writer." Surprisingly, you spend a heckuva lot of time doing things other than writing. Then, the book turns into a tutor/coach: Specifically showing you the nuts and bolts: how to communicate effectively with engineers, tech writing dos and don'ts, how to present information visually, tech writing online, landing a job, etc. There's even a long list of tech writing training programs. It always amazes me what a bargain books are--the distilled wisdom of an expert on virtually any topic for the price of a large pizza. This book seems to be a particular bargain.
Rating:
Summary: A book to change careers by
Review: I am quite Web savy and I have a degree in journalism. I was looking to make a career change when I learned about technical writers and how they are paid very well for what they do. However, I wasn't sure what they did. After looking at several technical writing books, I picked out this book. Just glancing at the book, I liked the breakdown of the chapters and the topics it covered. After reading this book, I feel I could walk into an office right now and do the job. If I'm blessed to become a technical writer, this book will be within my grasp on my office bookshelf. If you're looking for a book on the minute specifics on how to write technically (using graphs, terminology and how to address the audience you're writing to, for example) look elsewhere. This is not the book for you. If you're looking for a book that provides wonderfully detailed information about how to be the best technical writer you can be (it does this by covering specific knowledge a technical writer needs to have to do his/her job and to do it well) then pick up a copy of this book. You'll be happy you did.
Rating: 
Summary: Beginner's Best Choice
Review: Technical writing is slowly evolving as a major career option for anyone interested in technology as well as writing. The Tech Writers' Survival Guide book was a recommended text in a preliminary course of Technical Communication that I did.This book briefly discusses various aspects of the job of a tech writer. It also gives an exposure to various factors affecting this field. I will highly recommend this book for leisure reading for anyone embarking in the field of technical writing. It makes them familiar with the concept of technical writing,as well as pros and cons,and the dos and donts of the job of a writer .The language is very relaxed, consistent with style of a storybook.
So, if you are interested in a career of a Technical Writer and want to explore the world without going into too much details, this book is the best pick.
Rating:
Summary: Does exactly what it claims to do
Review: The sub-title says it all: this is indeed a comprehensive handbook for aspiring tech writers. I am considering such a career change and found this book to be an invaluable guide, giving me a realistic and extremely helpful "lay of the land" tour. No, it did not give me every conceivable secret for making my fortune in tech writing - it would be silly to expect any one book to do that - but I found that it answered all my questions about what I can expect if and when I make the transition to this new field. Ms. Van Wicklen writes in a very clear, incredibly well organized style that makes it easy to find any topic, and her tone is at the same time encouraging and realistic. I've read other books that promise fortunes and neglect to mention any downsides or risks; by contrast, this one left me with a really good understanding of what I can expect as a tech writer, both good and bad. As I read this book, I kept thinking that every profession should have such a clear and informative guide book.
Rating:
Summary: Does exactly what it claims to do
Review: The sub-title says it all: this is indeed a comprehensive handbook for aspiring tech writers. I am considering such a career change and found this book to be an invaluable guide, giving me a realistic and extremely helpful "lay of the land" tour. No, it did not give me every conceivable secret for making my fortune in tech writing - it would be silly to expect any one book to do that - but I found that it answered all my questions about what I can expect if and when I make the transition to this new field. Ms. Van Wicklen writes in a very clear, incredibly well organized style that makes it easy to find any topic, and her tone is at the same time encouraging and realistic. I've read other books that promise fortunes and neglect to mention any downsides or risks; by contrast, this one left me with a really good understanding of what I can expect as a tech writer, both good and bad. As I read this book, I kept thinking that every profession should have such a clear and informative guide book.
Rating: 
Summary: Lightweight Advice
Review: This book is very lightweight advice indeed. It is a rehash of other job seeker guides, with a liberal use of their ideas. If you have read any job or resume book, you have read this book. The sections dealing with Tech Writing are so simplfied that if you have an any common sense you are beyond the level of this book. Its has advice such as: "Before interviewing an engineer, be prepared." It seems the underlying theme implied throughout the book is how to play corporate politics to get ahead in the technical writing world. If you interested in Technical Writing your money would be much better spent on a Technical Communication textbook or a book on HTML. All in all, this book is a vision of how to climb the ladder of corporate politics with an infantile view of technical writing.
I advise to look elsewhere.
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