Buy My Book!

Updated September 4, 2020

Yes, I’ve finally made this happen: Heroic Technical Writing is now available for sale on Amazon Kindle (actual publication date: August 31) for US $5.99 plus tax and shipping ($8.14 in Canada, £4.75 in the UK) and in paperback ($12.99 plus tax and shipping ($17.18 in Canada, £9.94 in the UK).

I’ve crystallized my accumulated wisdom about the technical writing profession into one handy reference text, which you can use in classroom, workplace, or mobile environments.

What Does the Book Include?

In short, this is a set of lessons that they [mostly] don’t teach in colleges and universities:

• Creating specific products in a working environment.
• Enhancing careers by managing business relationships responsibly.
• Working effectively in any work environment.
• Maximizing career opportunities with an English or liberal arts degree.

Sorting through seven years of blog entries, I extracted the important lessons, dividing them into six “Ps”:

1. Products – The actual documents developed by technical communicators.
2. Processes – The office procedures that technical communicators follow in their work.
3. People & Politics – Working with the varied and often complex personalities and political structures that shape professional life.
4. Professionalism – How to think and behave constructively in the workplace.
5. Pursuing Work – How tech writers find jobs as employees or freelancers.
6. Protecting Yourself – How to handle things like your health, insurance, reputation, and retirement.

Reviewer Comments:

“Bart practices what he preaches. Through his humility and humor, he generously shares his eclectic professional and personal experiences to provide valuable stepping stones for emerging technical writers.”
—Darlene Cavalier, Founder, Science Cheerleader and SciStarter;
Professor of Practice, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University

“Are you looking to understand the world of technical communication and find your place in it? If so, Heroic Technical Writing is your trusted guide. Bart Leahy draws on his years of experience to provide insight into the profession and help you land your ideal job. Clear a space on your primary bookshelf: after you’ve read this book, you’ll want to keep it handy for future reference.”
—Larry Kunz, Fellow, Society for Technical Communication (STC)

“Bart Leahy provides entertaining, insightful, and rubber-meets-the-road advice for technical communicators at all levels, novice to professional. The author takes the reader on a journey through the practical side of technical communications and fills in the details of how to understand various customers’ needs and how to effectively meet them. When reading the book, I felt like I was at the table with the author receiving hard-learned sage advice from a master – sometimes commiserating with him as the more difficult tasks presented themselves and were tackled, sometimes chuckling at the vagaries of the human condition, but mostly trying to take it all in.”
—Les Johnson, Author and Space Technologist

Acquiring an Autographed Copy

For U.S. Residents ONLY:

If you are interested in acquiring an autographed copy, you can send me $21 directly through PayPal. This price covers the book, Florida and Orange County sales tax, a padded envelope, and the media mail charge from the U.S. Postal Service. Please email me your name and address at bart at heroictechwriting dot com.

After doing the math, you might realize it’s better a better value to wait until you meet me at a public gathering somewhere and get it signed in person. Fear not, I won’t be offended. Autographs are free! 🙂

For Those of You Outside the U.S.:

I apologize, but the U.S. Postal Service does not provide a “media mail” rate for destinations outside this country. If you are one of my international readers and are eager to own an autographed copy, you can send me U.S.$21 via PayPal as earnest money, email me your name and mailing information at bart at heroictechwriting dot com, and then I will do my due diligence to find out how much it will cost to mail the book to your country. I’ll email you the price difference, you pay me the rest, and I send you the autographed book.

As I noted to my fellow citizens, it might just be easier to find me if you’re ever visiting Orlando, Florida, and bring the copy with you to sign.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2020 Bart Leahy