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The Not-Boring Tech Writer

Kate Mueller
Technical Writing
Documentation
Knowledgeowl
Write the Docs
Knowledge Management
Tech Writing
Information Architecture
User Experience
Documentation Stewardship
Ngombor Community Development Alliance
Self-Documentation
Yoga
Content Types
Imposter Syndrome
Augmented Reality
Community Building
Empathy Advocacy
Change Management Toolkit
Content Management
Lego

Some people hear the phrase "technical writing" and think it must be boring. We're here to show the full complexity and awesomeness of being a tech writer. This podcast is for anyone who writes technical documentation of any kind, including those who may not feel comfortable calling themselves tech writers. Whether you create product documentation, support documentation, READMEs, or any other tech... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes86Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
CareersBusinessTechnology

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Artwork for The Not-Boring Tech Writer

Latest Episodes

In this episode, I talk with Katie Cox, an instructional designer who has spent her career in customer education and now builds an entire product Academy as a team of one. We talk about what customer education actually means and how it differs from d... more

YouTube

In this solo episode, I share my latest content updates progress and reflect on my takeaways from Mat Patterson’s interview (S3:E42). I also share how my content in the Support KB has evolved over time and reflect on treating emails and other content... more

YouTube

In this episode, I talk with Mat Patterson, a CX professional turned technical marketing writer who spent nearly a decade each at Campaign Monitor and Help Scout before going freelance and founding More Human Content. We talk about why content that k... more

YouTube

In this solo episode, I share my latest content updates progress and reflect on my takeaways from Vladimir Izmalkov’s interview (S3:E40). I also share my definition of productive procrastination, a documentation jobs board maintained by Adam Pugh, an... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Katie Cox
Customer education professional with background in instructional design
Episode: Making the leap from tech writing to customer education with Katie Cox
Mat Patterson
Content creator and founder of More Human Content; former Help Scout contributor
More Human Content / Help Scout
Episode: Writing more human content with Mat Patterson
Vladimir Izmalkov
Experienced technical communicator who has written documentation in English and Russian; led documentation teams; worked in research institutes, startups, and Canonical
CanonCanonical (Canonical) and other roles mentioned in episode
Episode: Mapping your technical writing skill tree with Vladimir Izmalkov
Heather Zoppetti
Knitting pattern designer turned Senior Technical Writer at Vanguard, focused on UX documentation and design systems
Vanguard
Episode: Knitting together a technical writing career with Heather Zoppetti
Florian Lefebvre
Framework developer for Astro and contributor who writes and reviews docs
Astro
Episode: Writing docs as an open source developer with Florian Lefebvre
Eric Holscher
Founder of Write the Docs; long-time community organizer in software documentation
Write the Docs
Episode: Building a home for documentarians with Eric Holscher
Jacob Moses
Founder and former host of The NotBoring Tech Writer; entrepreneur in neighborhood development
Care Block Development / Strong Towns (past)
Episode: From tech writing to building lovable neighborhoods with Jacob Moses
Kate Pond
Software engineer and former park ranger
Episode: Self-documentation for career growth with Kate Pond
Sarah Walker
Technical Writer and yoga instructor known for her article 'Elect a Raccoon Overlord'.
Monetate
Episode: Yoga wisdom for technical writers with Sarah Walker

Host

Kate Mueller
Host of The Not-Boring Tech Writer

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 29 ratings
  • Relatable, insightful, and helpful!

    Just one episode into the reboot and Kate is speaking already my language! This podcast will help the so-many-of-us that are constantly writing documentation professionally, but haven’t had formal training specific to this area. Her years of experience are invaluable and her personality is true treat!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    perroluz
    Canada2 years ago
  • It's true: we really can be interesting!

    I love this podcast. The name alone told me I had to listen, but Jacob's engaging, honest style is fantastic and the guests have brought wonderful insight to the show. A lot of the real-life boring tech writers out there could do with loosening up and listening to what Jacob has to say. If you have anything to do with techcomm, you have to subscribe to this one. Great job!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    John Espirian
    United Kingdom10 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners find Kate's practical take on documentation relatable and focused on real-world writing—very actionable.
Positive feedback highlights approachable storytelling and meaningful sponsor relevance.
Guests consistently bring diverse expertise, keeping conversations fresh and insightful for tech writers at all levels.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#229
Ireland/Business/Careers
Apple Podcasts
#233
Spain/Business/Careers

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Making the leap from tech writing to customer education with Katie Cox
Q: What role does tooling play, and is formal education required to break into this field?
Tools matter less than pedagogy; a strong learning-design mindset and ability to pick up tooling like video editors or LMSs quickly are key. Formal education helps but is not strictly required; practical, on-the-job learning and mentorship can be just as valuable, coupled with a portfolio demonstrating your abilities.
Making the leap from tech writing to customer education with Katie Cox
Q: How do you approach content structure and creating a cohesive learning journey across modules?
Start with backwards design: define learning objectives, create a running narrative with a consistent scenario or case study, then design pages or modules that thread from scenario to concepts to hands-on activities, ensuring each piece builds on the last and aligns with the learning goals.
Making the leap from tech writing to customer education with Katie Cox
Q: For those listening who are curious about a pivot, what are the main areas a tech writer should focus on to move into instructional design or customer education?
Focus on the ability to simplify complex information, design for longer-form learning rather than single-page docs, and learn learning design fundamentals like objectives, scenarios, and activities that move learners from theory to practice. Also build a portfolio that showcases learning materials and be prepared to discuss how you'd apply instructional design principles to real-world product education.
Mapping your technical writing skill tree with Vladimir Izmalkov
Q: Can you tell us about your villain origin story in tech writing?
Vladimir explains his shift from a research/information systems background into technical writing, driven by a passion for practical impact, a realization that his broad tech knowledge could be useful, and a concrete move from a government research setting to enterprise documentation after recognizing the field's breadth and usefulness.
Collaborating with designers and animators with Bill Holland
Q: Is it reasonable for somebody to think, hey, I could probably learn how to use AI for animation?
Theoretically, yes, but it's not as easy as people make it out to be to get good results. You have to use AI as a tool and not rely on it wholly.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Not-Boring Tech Writer

What is The Not-Boring Tech Writer about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show spotlights practical, human-centered tech writing and documentation. Episodes mix deep dives with guests who bring career pivots, documentation strategy, open source collaboration, and community-building into focus. A standout trait is translating complex technical work into usable, empathetic content, often touching on AI's impact on docs, branding a company voice, and the human side of building knowledge bases. The host frequently probes processes, career paths, and community dynamics, offering listeners actionable tips for improving documentation, expanding their skill set, and navigating the evolving docs ecosystem. This combination of practical guidance, real-world storytelling, and a strong community angle makes it appealing ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Not-Boring Tech Writer?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Not-Boring Tech Writer:

1. I'd Rather Be Writing Podcast
2. Hard Fork
3. Ologies with Alie Ward
4. You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes
5. Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

How many episodes of The Not-Boring Tech Writer are there?

The Not-Boring Tech Writer launched 10 years ago and published 86 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Not-Boring Tech Writer?

Recent guests on The Not-Boring Tech Writer include:

1. Katie Cox
2. Mat Patterson
3. Vladimir Izmalkov
4. Heather Zoppetti
5. Florian Lefebvre
6. Eric Holscher
7. Jacob Moses
8. Kate Pond

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