Activities	Science and medical writers prepare a range of formal documents presenting detailed information on the physical or medical sciences. They convey research findings for scientific or medical professions and organize information for advertising or public relations needs. Many writers work with researchers on technical subjects to prepare written interpretations of data and other information for a general readership.
Outlook	Faster-than-average-job growth
Median Income	$61,600 in 2008
Work Context & Conditions	May work in comfortable, private offices or in noisy rooms filled with the sound of keyboards and computer printers as well as the voices of other writers tracking down information over the telephone. The search for information sometimes requires travel to diverse workplaces, such as factories, offices, or laboratories, but many have to be content with telephone interviews, the library, and the Internet.
Minimum Education Requirements	Bachelor's Degree
Skills	Learning Strategies, Active Listening, Writing, Time Management, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension
Abilities	Written Comprehension, Near Vision, Written Expression, Oral Comprehension
Interviews	Alisa Machalek

Job Category		Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, & Media
Job Description		According to the National Association of Science Writers " reporters at major meetings and events are science writers, experienced in covering medicine, science, and engineering. To scientists in increasingly narrow fields, such a responsibility may seem quite broad but, on most newspapers, this beat is considered high specialization. Of the many kinds of specialized writers, the science writer has a unique responsibility to the reader. Unlike the sportswriter, for example, whose reader already knows, often in extraordinary detail, the rules of the game and who the players are, science writers must often introduce readers to a new "game" with every article. Imagine if a sportswriter had to assume readers had no knowledge of football every time he or she had to write about the latest NFL game. Science writers also have a sometimes difficult job of teasing out details and anecdotes to produce an evocative article, video or radio segment that will draw a casual reader or viewer into a topic they might not at first care much about. The science writer must first understand the science, often the toughest part of the job. Then the writer must write it--frequently within the hour--translating it accurately into a form that is both interesting and intelligible to the layman. Science writers tend to be among the most conscientious of journalists. However, they are writers first and not scientists. Good science writers do their best to report accurately, but they always keep in mind what they think will interest the public--which may not be what the scientist thinks should interest the public. Good science writers read omnivorously--newspapers, books, reports, journals and internet news groups. (The science editor of a New York City newspaper estimates that he scans "58 different magazines a month, 250 news releases, and 40 letters a week.") They attend conventions of scientific societies, where important news is often announced. They interview many scientists for stories. They may travel to Antarctica, watch the Space Shuttle blast off or visit a nuclear accelerator. However, they are also responsible for the routine of regular checking with sources at laboratories, factories, hospitals, universities, and government agencies. They are not all newspaper reporters; in fact, the majority are not. Some work on staffs of national magazines and internet news services. Others write for special-interest medical and scientific publications. Many are free-lancers, reporting and writing for a variety of media. And some work in broadcast media, ranging from network radio television news programs to science documentary production companies." According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, "many writers prepare material directly for the Internet. For example, they may write for electronic newspapers or magazines, create short fiction, or produce technical documentation only available online. Also, they may write the text of Web sites. These writers should be knowledgeable about graphic design, page layout, and desktop publishing software. Additionally, they should be familiar with interactive technologies of the Web so they can blend text, graphics, and sound together."
Working Conditions		May work in comfortable, private offices or in noisy rooms filled with the sound of keyboards and computer printers as well as the voices of other writers tracking down information over the telephone. They may be required to sit for long periods of time. They must be very exact and highly accurate.The search for information sometimes requires travel to diverse workplaces, such as factories, offices, or laboratories, but many have to be content with telephone interviews, the library, and the Internet. For some writers, the typical workweek runs 35 to 40 hours. However, writers occasionally may work overtime to meet deadlines. Those who prepare morning or weekend publications and broadcasts work some nights and weekends. Freelance writers generally work more flexible hours, but their schedules must conform to the needs of the client. Deadlines and erratic work hours, often part of the daily routine for these jobs, may cause stress, fatigue, or burnout. Changes in technology and electronic communications also affect a writer's work environment. For example, laptops allow writers to work from home or while on the road. Writers and editors who use computers for extended periods may experience back pain, eyestrain, or fatigue.
Salary Range		Median annual earnings for technical writers were $61,600 in 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $47,100 and $78,900. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $36,500, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $97,500.

Education Required		A college degree generally is required for a position as a writer. Although some employers look for a broad liberal arts background, most prefer to hire people with degrees in communications, journalism, or English. For those who specialize in a particular area, additional background in the chosen field is expected. Knowledge of a second language is helpful for some positions. Increasingly, technical writing requires a degree in, or some knowledge about, a specialized field—for example, engineering, business, or one of the sciences. In many cases, people with good writing skills can acquire specialized knowledge on the job. Some transfer from jobs as technicians, scientists, or engineers. Others begin as research assistants or as trainees in a technical information department, develop technical communication skills, and then assume writing duties. Writers and editors must be able to express ideas clearly and logically and should love to write. Creativity, curiosity, a broad range of knowledge, self-motivation, and perseverance also are valuable. Writers and editors must demonstrate good judgment and a strong sense of ethics in deciding what material to publish. Editors also need tact and the ability to guide and encourage others in their work. For some jobs, the ability to concentrate amid confusion and to work under pressure is essential. Familiarity with electronic publishing, graphics, and video production equipment increasingly is needed. Use of electronic and wireless communications equipment to send e-mail, transmit work, and review copy often is necessary. Online newspapers and magazines require knowledge of computer software used to combine online text with graphics, audio, video, and animation. High school and college newspapers, literary magazines, community newspapers, and radio and television stations all provide valuable, but sometimes unpaid, practical writing experience. Many magazines, newspapers, and broadcast stations have internships for students. Interns write short pieces, conduct research and interviews, and learn about the publishing or broadcasting business. In small firms, beginning writers and editors hired as assistants may actually begin writing or editing material right away. Opportunities for advancement can be limited, however. Many writers look for work on a short-term, project-by-project basis. Many small or not-for-profit organizations either do not have enough regular work or cannot afford to employ writers on a full-time basis. However, they routinely contract out work to freelance writers. In larger businesses, jobs usually are more formally structured. Beginners generally do research, fact checking, or copy editing. Advancement to full-scale writing or editing assignments may occur more slowly for newer writers and editors in larger organizations than for employees of smaller companies. Advancement often is more predictable, though, coming with the assignment of more important articles. Advancement for freelancers often means working on larger, more complex projects for more money. Building a reputation and establishing a track record for meeting deadlines also makes it easier to get future assignments, as does instituting long-term freelance relationships with the same publications. The growing popularity of blogs could allow some writers to get their work read; a few well-written blogs may garner some recognition for the author and may lead to a few paid pieces in other print or electronic publications. However, most bloggers do not earn much money writing their blogs.
Recommended High School Courses		Biology, English, Chemistry, Communications
Postsecondary Instructional Programs		Education and Training, English Language, Communications and Media, Computers and Electronics
Certification and Licensing

Interest Area		Artistic Involves a degree of self-expression and working with forms, designs, and patterns and without a clear set of rules.
Work Values		Achievement Get a feeling of accomplishment. Creativity Try out your own ideas. Ability Utilization Make use of individual abilities. Working Conditions Good working conditions. Responsibility Make decisions on your own.
Skills		Learning Strategies Use multiple approaches when learning or teaching new things. Active Listening Listen to what other people are saying and ask questions as appropriate. Writing Communicate effectively with others in writing as indicated by the needs of the audience. Time Management Manage one's own time and the time of others. Active Learning Work with new material or information to grasp its implications. Reading Comprehension Understand written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Abilities		Written Comprehension Able to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Near Vision Able to see details of objects at a close range (within a few feet of the observer). Written Expression Able to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. Oral Comprehension Able to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Related Jobs		Health Educator
Job Outlook		Employment of technical writers is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2018. The outlook for most writing and editing jobs is expected to be competitive, because many people with writing or journalism training are attracted to the occupation. Opportunities should be best for technical writers and those with training in a specialized field. Demand for technical writers and writers with expertise in specialty areas, such as law, medicine, or economics, is expected to increase because of the continuing expansion of scientific and technical information and the need to communicate it to others. Developments and discoveries in the law, science, and technology generate demand for people to interpret technical information for a more general audience. Rapid growth and change in the high-technology and electronics industries result in a greater need for people to write users’ guides, instruction manuals, and training materials. This work requires people who are not only technically skilled as writers, but also familiar with the subject area. Technical writers held about 48,900 jobs in 2008. Two percent of technical writers were self-employed in 2008. There are technical writers in almost every industry, but they are concentrated in industries related to computer systems and software, publishing (except Internet), science, and engineering. The industry that employed the most technical writers in 2008 was the computer systems design industry, which had 18 percent of these workers. The second-largest employer was the computer and electronic manufacturing industry, with 8 percent of workers. Software publishers; architectural, engineering, and related services; management, scientific, and technical consulting services; and scientific research and development services industries also employed a sizeable number of technical writers.
More Information		Society for Technical Communication, Inc., Newspaper Guild-CWA, National Association of Science Writers
References		Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Technical Writers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos319.htm National Association of Science Writers, on the Internet at: http://www.nasw.org/csn/sciwri.htm O*NET OnLine, on the Internet at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/27-3042.00