Imagine you're a screenwriter trying to apply for a technical writing job. Why not? A writer is a writer is a writer. If you stress the relevant parts of your experience as a screenwriter there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to apply for an entrance-level technical writing position which, on the average, pays in the mid-30K to mid-40K range in the United States as these lines are written. Not bad, especially if you've made zilch the past year as a screenwriter.
I suggest you emphasize the following points in your resume if you're thinking of a career cross-over into technical writing:
COMMAND OVER ENGLISH. Screenwriters are masters of language. They know how to write a scene description with as few words as possible. They know how to separate the wheat from the chaff and get down to the heart of the matter.
SUPREME STRUCTURING SKILLS. Screenwriters are masters of structure since everything they write has to follow a rough TEMPLATE. They are very familiar with the whole idea of pouring content into a pre-existing structure (the "There Act Structure," in this case) and wrap up everything within 120 pages.
SEQUENCING SKILLS. A technical document (say, a "user manual") consists of chapter, each with its own sections. A screenplay, similarly, consists of 15 to 20 sequences, each sequence having 3 or 4 individual scenes. Thus a screenwriter is the master of chopping down a big subject matter into smaller logically consistent units and then combining them in a modular fashion into a narrative product.
NARRATIVE SKILLS. Let's also not forget the importance of "narration" in technical documentation. By that we of course do not mean telling a dramatic story. Actually, there should be no "dramatic conflict" whatsoever in a technical document. However, the text should still FLOW comfortably and logically from one section to another. In that sense, a good technical manual is one with great narrative articulation and flow. And screenwriters can rightfully boast that they are masters of that crucial skill as well.
I hope these ideas will help you in structuring your resume in such a manner to maximize your chances of getting that technical writing job. Good luck and Godspeed!
