As the financial year comes to a close, I’d usually take this time to reflect on growth, progress, and the successes of my business.
This year is different.
📉 There’s not much to celebrate.
Profit losses, client drop-offs, and a shrinking industry have made this one of the toughest years I’ve faced as a technical writer.
For years, remote work kept my business alive — and THRIVE!
Now, with return-to-office (RTO) mandates and fewer opportunities for freelance technical writers, things are looking bleak.
I’m still figuring out how to pivot and keep things going.
🌟 The End of an Era: Losing My Bread-and-Butter Clients
A few years ago, I had multiple remote clients.
I could work with businesses all over Australia, handling multiple projects at once.
It was a stable, profitable way to run my business.
But as companies forced employees back into offices, remote contracts dried up.
📌 Some clients cut their documentation budgets entirely.
📌 Others decided they only wanted in-house writers.
📌 A few went through restructures and stopped hiring contractors altogether.
💔 One by one, my key clients disappeared.
Now, I’m left with only one client keeping my business alive.
And to be frank, it’s barely enough.
📉 Return-to-Office Mandates Have Made It Harder to Survive
The return to office push has killed flexibility.
I used to juggle multiple clients at once.
Now?
❌ Most companies expect in-person work, so I can’t handle multiple clients at the same time.
❌ Commuting eats up valuable hours that I used to spend actually working.
❌ Local businesses are hiring full-time instead of bringing in contractors.
🚪 Fewer clients, less flexibility, and more wasted time—it’s a disaster for small businesses like mine.
💼 A Shrinking Job Market for Technical Writers
It’s not just me.
The entire technical writing industry is declining.
📉 AI is replacing some documentation tasks.
📉 Companies are cutting costs and getting rid of contractors.
📉 More writers are competing for fewer jobs.
📉 Even full-time technical writing roles are vanishing.
(Source: hiringlab.org)
It’s harder than ever to land new work.
Every time I apply for a new project, I get rejection after rejection.
Even my best clients from past years aren’t hiring anymore.
I’ve spent years building this business—and now it feels like I’m starting from scratch.
🏠 Only One Client Is Keeping Me Afloat
Right now, I’m lucky to still have one client left.
Without them, I don’t know how I’d be paying the bills.
💡 They’ve embraced AI tools and digital transformation, which is why I’ve been able to stick around.
💡 They see the value in documentation, even when others are slashing budgets.
💡 They’re the only reason I still have a roof over my head.
But I can’t rely on one client forever.
I need a backup plan.
🔄 How I’m Trying to Adapt
I don’t have all the answers.
But I know I can’t sit still and wait for things to get better.
Here’s what I’m doing to stay afloat:
✅ Learning AI tools to stay ahead of automation.
✅ Exploring UX writing and content strategy to widen my skills.
✅ Networking harder than ever—because job boards aren’t cutting it.
✅ Looking beyond tech—because industries like healthcare and finance still need documentation.
It’s not easy, but I need to find a way forward before it’s too late.
⚡ Looking Ahead: Uncertainty and Survival
This time last year, I had a solid client base and steady income.
Now, I’m scrambling to keep my business alive.
📉 Fewer contracts.
📉 More competition.
📉 A shifting industry that feels less stable by the day.
I won’t be celebrating this end of financial year.
Instead, I’ll be figuring out how to pivot, survive, and rebuild my business in 2025.
If you’re in the same boat, you’re not alone.
