To answer your questions:
- Yes, you can absolutely make a living from it. Salaries do vary greatly, though, across location and industry. I've more than doubled my own salary in 5 years moving between roles. API tech writing or developer docs is one specific area where you can make a pretty high salary. Your previous experience could certainly help you here.
- I have always worked in permanent roles, but there are a lot of consulting opportunities out there if that's your preference.
- I have been working from home since 2020. I enjoy it because I need the focus and quiet time to complete projects.
- Yes, for my last job search, most companies wanted a portfolio. Open source is a great way to start. You could also check out the Google Season of Docs program. Do you have any written documentation from your previous roles, such as process docs, etc.?
This is my second career, and I truly love the solid mix of technical, helping other users, and working with language. Best of luck!
- Yes, you can absolutely make a living from it. Salaries do vary greatly, though, across location and industry. I've more than doubled my own salary in 5 years moving between roles. API tech writing or developer docs is one specific area where you can make a pretty high salary. Your previous experience could certainly help you here.
- I have always worked in permanent roles, but there are a lot of consulting opportunities out there if that's your preference.
- I have been working from home since 2020. I enjoy it because I need the focus and quiet time to complete projects.
- Yes, for my last job search, most companies wanted a portfolio. Open source is a great way to start. You could also check out the Google Season of Docs program. Do you have any written documentation from your previous roles, such as process docs, etc.?
This is my second career, and I truly love the solid mix of technical, helping other users, and working with language. Best of luck!