Google Season of Docs

Complete guide to Google Season of Docs — get paid to write technical documentation for open-source projects

TL;DR — Google Season of Docs (GSoD) was a program that paid technical writers to improve documentation for open-source projects. The program concluded after 6 years (2019–2024), but its model and resources remain valuable for anyone interested in open-source documentation work.

Program Status: Google Season of Docs officially concluded after its 2024 cycle. The information below is preserved as a reference for similar opportunities and in case Google revives the program. Check developers.google.com/season-of-docs for any updates.

What Was Google Season of Docs?

Google Season of Docs brought together technical writers and open-source organizations to improve project documentation. Unlike GSoC which focuses on code, GSoD focused entirely on documentation — making open-source projects more accessible through better docs.

Key aspects:

• Budget: Google provided organizations with $5,000–$15,000 to hire technical writers
• Duration: Typically 3–6 months
• Focus: API docs, user guides, tutorials, contributor guides, information architecture
• Format: Fully remote

Why Documentation Matters for Open Source

Many excellent open-source projects struggle with adoption because their documentation is poor. GSoD addressed this by:

• Improving getting started guides so new users can onboard faster
• Creating API references that developers can actually use
• Building tutorials that teach real-world usage patterns
• Restructuring information architecture so users can find what they need

How the Program Worked

For Organizations

1. Organizations applied with a documentation improvement proposal
2. Google selected participating organizations
3. Organizations hired technical writers (directly or through the program)
4. Writers worked on the documentation project
5. Organizations submitted a final case study

For Technical Writers

1. Browse participating organizations and their project proposals
2. Contact organizations directly with a statement of interest
3. Organizations selected their preferred writer(s)
4. Work on the documentation project under mentorship
5. Get paid through the organization’s budget

What Made a Strong Technical Writer Application

Even though the program has ended, these principles apply to any open-source documentation opportunity:

Statement of Interest Template

## Contact Information
- Name, email, portfolio/website, timezone

## Technical Writing Experience
- Years of experience
- Types of documentation you've written
- Tools and technologies you're familiar with
- Links to published work samples

## Understanding of the Project
- What the project does and who uses it
- Current state of documentation (what's good, what's missing)
- Specific problems you've identified

## Proposed Approach
- What you plan to improve/create
- Your methodology (user research, content audit, etc.)
- Timeline with milestones
- How you'll measure success

## Why This Project?
- What draws you to this organization
- How your skills match their needs

Key Qualities Organizations Looked For

1. Portfolio of published work — Blog posts, API docs, tutorials, user guides
2. Technical understanding — Ability to read code and understand technical concepts
3. Empathy for users — Writing that puts the reader first
4. Experience with docs-as-code — Markdown, Git, static site generators
5. Proactive communication — Reaching out before the application deadline

Legacy & Alternative Opportunities

While GSoD has ended, the need for open-source documentation is greater than ever. Here are ways to continue this work:

Active Programs with Documentation Tracks

• Outreachy — Often has documentation and design projects
• GSoC — Some organizations accept documentation-focused proposals
• LFX Mentorship — Occasionally has documentation projects

Independent Contributions

• Open Docs — Google’s repository for open-source documentation: github.com/google/opendocs
• Write the Docs — Community for documentation professionals: writethedocs.org
• Good Docs Project — Templates and best practices for open-source documentation: thegooddocsproject.dev
• Direct contributions — Many projects welcome documentation PRs year-round. Search GitHub for label:"help wanted" label:"documentation" to find projects actively seeking doc writers.

Building a Technical Writing Portfolio Without GSoD

Even without a formal program, you can build a portfolio that attracts paid documentation opportunities:

1. Audit a popular project’s docs — Pick a CNCF or Apache project, identify gaps in their getting-started guide, and submit PRs. A single merged “quickstart guide rewrite” is worth more than any certification.
2. Write API reference docs for projects that lack them — Many open-source tools have excellent code but zero API documentation. Generating and refining OpenAPI specs or writing usage examples is high-value, visible work.
3. Contribute to docs-as-code tooling — Projects like Docusaurus, MkDocs, and Mintlify always need documentation about their own features. Meta-documentation is an underserved niche.
4. Publish technical blog posts — Write tutorials that explain how to use open-source tools. Link to them in your portfolio. Organizations evaluate writers by published work, not credentials.

Skills That Transfer

If you’re a technical writer looking at open-source opportunities, these skills are universally valued:

Skill	Why It Matters
Docs-as-code (Markdown, Git, CI/CD)	Most OSS projects use these tools
API documentation (OpenAPI, Swagger)	High demand across all technical projects
Information architecture	Helps users find what they need
User research & testing	Validates that docs actually help
Static site generators (Docusaurus, MkDocs, Hugo)	Used by most OSS doc sites

Resources

Resource	Link
Official Site (archived)	developers.google.com/season-of-docs
Past Participants	developers.google.com/season-of-docs/docs/participants
Open Docs Repository	github.com/google/opendocs
Write the Docs Community	writethedocs.org
Good Docs Project	thegooddocsproject.dev

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Google Season of Docs still running?

No. The program concluded after its 2024 cycle. Google may bring it back in the future — check the official site for updates.

How can I get paid to write documentation for open source now?

Look at Outreachy (which has documentation projects), contribute to LFX Mentorship documentation projects, or apply directly to organizations that hire technical writers. The Write the Docs community is also a good place to find opportunities.

Do I need to be a programmer to write technical documentation?

You don’t need to be an expert programmer, but you should be comfortable reading code, using the command line, and understanding technical concepts enough to explain them clearly.