1210212.us16.myftpupload.com Managed WordPress Site

Tag: technical writing

  • What is a Technical Writer?

    What is a Technical Writer?

    When you read the instruction manual for your favorite software or gadget, do you ever ask yourself, “Who writes this stuff?” In case you’re curious, that person is a technical writer.

    A technical writer is a professional writer who simplifies complex technical and business documentation for a product or service to maximize reader comprehension. Technical writers produce relevant, accurate and complete information that helps the target audience find what they need, understand what they find and use that understanding to accomplish a goal. The goal can be complying with a policy, learning a software application or following work safety practices. Technical writers can have various job titles, including content developer, information developer, technical communicator or technical documentation specialist.

    Job opportunities exist for technical writers across many industries like banking, healthcare, transportation, oil and gas, government, military, manufacturing, information technology, insurance, architecture and engineering. Companies employ technical writers to produce technical documentation like software user manuals and engineering specifications or business documentation like company policies and reports. Technical writers can also be called upon to produce website content, warning labels, how-to videos, online help, FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), test plans and more.

    If you’re still in high school, the best subjects to take to prepare for a technical writing career are English, journalism and computer-related courses. Try to learn some Microsoft Office programs, especially Word and PowerPoint.

    Although technical writing is not a regulated field, it will serve you well to take post-secondary training. Several schools offer a one-year certificate or a two-year diploma program in technical writing. Depending on the school, you may need a Bachelor’s degree before entering. These programs prepare you for a career in technical writing through a combination of course work and on-site placement. You’ll learn about research, audience analysis, technical writing, editing, information design, indexing, documentation project management and more. In addition, you’ll be introduced to the tools of the trade like Visio (a flowchart tool), FrameMaker (a publishing tool) and RoboHelp (an online help tool).

    To succeed as a technical writer, you’ll need strong research and communication skills to gather complex information from various sources then translate it into plain language. You must be a people person because you’ll work with not only writers and editors, but also with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) like engineers, testers and computer programmers. You may also work with people in high positions like your manager, director, or even the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). If you’re the only writer in the company, you’ll have to work independently and solve documentation problems on your own since you won’t have the support of another writer.

    Technical writing can be very demanding, but it pays well. The average annual salary ranges from $37,000 to $82,000; and the average hourly rate ranges from $16.00 to $51.00. You can make more money if you have a technical background in engineering, computer science or network security.

    If you can grasp complex concepts quickly and have a flair for writing, technical writing may be the career for you.

  • What Is Technical Writing?

    What Is Technical Writing?

    Imagine getting a new phone or computer device for your birthday. Would you already know how to use it or would you need to look at the instructions? When you were younger, did you ever have toys that needed to be put together before you could play with them? If so, you or your parents probably read a technical document—the instructions. Compiling instructions for toys or electronics is only one of the many jobs available to people known as technical writers. People working in this field can write instruction manuals, research papers, advertisements, catalogues, and anything else that requires their special skills.

    Basically, technical writing is about explaining something to another person, but the work can take different forms. One kind of technical writing is about explaining products to the people who buy and use them. It could be the instructions that come with toys, electronics, or kitchen appliances like mixers or dishwashers. It could even be the instructions on packages of instant soup or microwave dinners.

    A second kind of technical writing is about explaining and recording procedures for people working in many different areas, such as engineering and manufacturing. It could include research papers, repair manuals, or procedures for completing certain tasks, such as engineering instructions on what measurements to use for certain types of building projects. This type of technical writing could also include detailed job descriptions for people working in all kinds of areas such as librarianship or accounting. The name for this writing style is technical documentation.

    A third type of technical writing is in the area of marketing or selling things. Technical writers work with advertisements, catalogues, brochures, and other documents that companies use to tell customers about their products and to convince them to buy something. A lot of the advertising you see might come from the work of technical writers.

    Becoming a technical writer involves more than just knowing how to put sentences and paragraphs together. Technical writers need to be able to gather information quickly and to be able to explain it clearly. They have to know the audience (the people who will read the finished documents) and know what kinds of information readers will need. An instruction manual for using a computer game, for example, is very different from a guide to drilling oil wells. Technical writers have to be flexible workers and quick learners, comfortable with working in print or online.

    Almost everyone works as a technical writer at some point. The best way to become a professional technical writer, however, is to get a diploma or certificate in technical communications at a community college. The demand for good writers is increasing, although it can be hard to find a full-time job. Most technical writers work on projects and then move on to other jobs when they are finished. The pay, however, is usually quite good, which helps to make up for times when there is no work. If you love to write, why not become a technical writer?