Migrate to Technical Writing Profession
Becoming a technical writer can use a wide range of skills, which together lead to a wide range of employment opportunities. Here are some simple steps to make the career change.
Steps
- Consider your background skills. Most technical writers have migrated into the profession from roles as software programmers, engineering technicians, or even research scientists. Others began their careers in an IT department, and found they were spending so much time writing reports, rather than working on IT equipment, that they decided to move into writing technical documents full-time basis. Many technical writers also developed skills in technical editing, training, and quality management.
- Consider the opportunities. The scope for writers with a technical background, whether it is in software, electronic, mechanical or nuclear engineering, is vast.
- Accept the challenge. If you do become a technical writer you must accept that there is more to it than understanding the subject matter. This is where most writers, and also companies that are trying to use a software developer to work part-time on the documents fall down. There are several documentation software programs to understand. Most technical documents are not written in Microsoft Word, thankfully. Understanding style guides, single sourcing, creating help files and interactive PDF documents are all important.
- Understand the part people play. Obviously the job you do determines the technical writing skills required, but interviewing skills and diplomacy are always needed. And it does help if you understand what the engineers are talking about.
- Understand it’s not one-size-fits-all. There is not one single ‘true’ role of technical writer. It all depends where they are working, what they are working on and who with, and what kind of people are going to read the documents that they write. You might be tasked with writing a whole suite of manuals, ranging from an installation manual to a software user guide, an online help system to a requirements specification. All have different reading audiences. You have to be able to adapt quickly. To be an effective writer you need is to improve your reading abilities so that writing is never boring and you’re open to innovative ideas.
- Communicate with your audience. This is one of the major skills a technical writer needs. A technical document is no place for an ego trip. Most readers are looking for something specific which they want to find easily and logically. When they find it they apply it and then the manual returns to the shelf to gather dust. It is not a novel, it should be easy to pick up and put down. Many of the readers may have English as their 2nd or 3rd language, so they are not interested in the nuances of the language. Click this, press this, do this are the phrases they care about. A degree in English might help, but it is not really a requirement, communication skills, presentations, and being good in Technology and adapting new things and learning abilities matter a lot.
Tips
- Keep learning. Tech writers should continue to enhance their skills in order to stay updated with the recent technology trend.
