I turned down my first paid job offer as a technical writer because I thought it would ?ruin my style.? Then I saw the light and actually got paid to write industrial technical stuff. I went on to write for various contract and self-employed tech writing gigs, including software documentation and user guides.

I?ve worked as a college-level tutor and as an adjunct English instructor. I've tutored a grad student as he rewrote his master?s thesis. He got his degree. I've ghost-edited two...