I had an interview a while back where the company really took issue that I pursue side writing projects. It got me thinking since it had been a while since I heard an objection over that facet of my professional career. It has been a part of my professional life for a long time and something I make sure to keep a wide separation from my day gig. So in the past I’ve stayed away from projects that potentially put me in conflicts of interest or where the side project was with a competitor of my employer at the time.

Before I lay out why it is a good thing for organizations to have a technical writer who is pursuing side projects, I would be remiss not mentioning the current economic apocalypse we are currently experiencing. There is no better reason than pursuing side projects than to have an alternative income stream to build up the war chest. There are also a number of more professional reasons for a technical writer to pursue freelance writing projects on the side including:

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