How to Write Content for Tech Startups

“I want to be writer.” A lot of people say it. But out of all those people, only a few stand out as having what it takes to make a living writing.

It’s not as easy or as glamorous as some people think. For a lot of us, it means answering endless, low paying job adds, working as freelancers. Sometimes for ridiculously low pay, these freelance gigs can range anywhere from jobs writing about putting greens, to sheds and beyond.

It’s certainly a far cry from the image of Hemingway, standing in his barren apartment typing out prose on his typewriter. That’s right –Hemingway wrote standing up. Because sitting while you write is for the weak.

Why Writing for Tech can be Fun –and Well Paying

If you told me when I was a young burgeoning writer scribbling out stage plays and screen plays that one day I’d be writing consistently about Tech, I would have laughed. I didn’t want to be a Tech writer. Not particularly. However, Tech and I seem to have an uncanny affinity for one another, and no matter what I’ve done, I’ve slowly been drawn back to the craft of writing for Tech Startups.

The reason for this?

Writing for Tech is a Real Job

Tech companies are many and they pay well. Not only do they need writers because writing needs being done, often times tech workers are not the most writing-centric people. Why should they know how to craft a sentence like us wordsmiths of the world? They live in world of code –of building things.

Tech companies need writers, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon.

Why doesn’t every writer work in Tech?

There’s a reason that writers get a bad rep. Writers don’t always look for jobs in the traditional sense. If they are going to write, they want all the things that come along with the artsy writer lifestyle. Submitting stories to publishers. Waiting for the rejection slip. Living off of ramen. There’s something incredibly romantic about being a starving writer/artist that people gravitate towards.

Which might explain why so many young writers don’t end up going into Tech. Another explanation is because writing for a living is incredibly competitive. Even bar those writers who are more interested in working as baristas while they finish their screenplays, there are still plenty of people lining up to “write” for a living. It sounds like a really posh lifestyle, doesn’t it?

The last reason why a lot of writers don’t end up making it in Tech is because of the diverse skill set it requires.

Writing in Tech Requires a Diverse Skill Set

A lot of people who write want to do just that. They want to write and nothing else. For these people, it can be tricky making the jump to a full time writing position. There’s a lot of skills needed to make it in the business world apart from just writing. You have to be able to sell yourself, influence others, and be a constant learner and thought leader. Also, a lot of Tech Startups require someone who is able to perform more than just basic writing tasks. They may want you to help code, lead marketing efforts, design campaigns and more. It takes a well integrated person to make it as a writer in the Tech world.

With all that being said, if you are a writer looking to make it into the big world of Tech –you’re in luck. Here are a few tips on how to write content for Tech Startups.

Writing for the Startup –A Unique Challenge

Writing for Tech Startups comes with its own host of exciting challenges that vary depending on the stage your company is at. For many startups, you may be the only person writing for the brand. Which means you will play a large part in coming up with the overall tone and voice of your company. This can be both very intimidating and exciting, or both, depending on your outlook.

If you’re someone that likes to follow strict parameters, a startup might not be the right fit for you. However, if you like the innovative and creative process of creating something new, then you’re in luck.

Coming Up with Voice and Tone that Works

As a writer for a Startup, you’re going to be working with people who are at the very core of the business. Which means you will have a lot of input into the overall voice of your brand. However, don’t let that make you think that the business’s voice will be your voice. You will need to meet with your team and founding members regularly to come up with a tone and voice and content that expresses who they are as a company. It will need to also speak to various, specific audiences. And of course, all kinds of pieces and types of content will need to be written in varying ways. A press release, for example, has a very different tone and form than a blog post.

Learn How to Write Everything

If you are a writer for a Startup, chances are you will have to write everything. And I mean everything. Emails. Blog posts. White papers. Web pages. Conference materials. The list goes on. But you won’t have the privilege of handing off your tasks to the PR team or product team because that stuff doesn’t fall under your job description. At a Tech Startup, you are an army of one. Which means the best thing you can do right now to prepare yourself is get experience writing all different kinds of content.

Become Your Own Editor

I have yet to meet a Tech Startup that has an editor for their writer. Tech writers or content writers or whatever title they give themselves can also add “editor” in their title somewhere. Because thats what they are. They are often the Editors-in-Chief of their entire company’s content pool. If editing is a challenge for you like it is for me, then get practice right now. Come up with a system that works for you to see your work objectively, including all of your errors.

Don’t be Boring

This is a big one. But honestly, who wants to write or read boring content? No matter what you write about, you should be excited abut it. Okay, maybe not every little thing. Sometimes you will have to just plow through a project you aren’t terribly passionate about. But no matter how technical and niche your startup company is, the way you can do your best is by finding ways to make your content fun and engaging. Oftentimes by writing in open and engaging ways, you will be able to reach new audiences and connect with people in ways that your brand hasn’t reached in the past. As a writer in the Tech world, you are the interpreter –taking the gray matter of technical realities and turning them into something new, exciting and inspiring.

Look for New Angles

You’ll also have to come up with your own blog pitches. You can’t always wait for someone to send a writing assignment your way. Every now and again, or maybe all the time depending on your company, you will have to come up with pitches that your team can get behind. To do this, you’ll need to hone your research skills. Not only should you write about your product or technology specifically, you should also write about peripheral topics. The best kind of content for your tech startup, apart from the basics, is the blog post that connects your technology with customer’s needs, relevant issues, or something funny.

If you can make your readers laugh, they’re a lot more likely to continue down the marketing funnel. Which brings us to our next point –

Learn Marketing

I don’t mean study it at school. I mean learn what it’s all about –specifically in the digital world. Learn about hashtags, Mail chimp, SEO –all that stuff. If you’re going to be a content writer, you’ll be expected to at the very least to work with marketing team. Learn about the marketing funnel and how your content fits into it. Ultimately, your content is made to drive up revenue by connecting with your customers. It’s not just to look pretty.

Why You Should Work for a Tech Startup

If you’re a real writer, being paid to do what you love full time should be exciting to you. It may take some time for you to find your niche. Whether that is marketing, technical writing, or something else, there’s still a lot of excitement in working for a Tech Startup that you won’t get out of writing for media and entertainment.

Because technology has become such a huge part of our lives, chances are the Tech Startup you end up working for is having a real and tangible impact on the lives of its customers. And in High-Tech, these changes are usually very disruptive and cutting edge. There’s something exciting about being a part of the “next-big-thing” that writing for the local paper just won’t bring you. So if you like a little bit of excitement in your life, and feeling like you are a part of something big, then taking the jump into the world of technology might be just the career move you are looking for.

Joseph Anderson is a Content Creator working in San Francisco. You can follow him on Twitter @Jnderson007