Technical Writing for Newbies

 

What is Technical Writing?

Technical writing is the art of providing detail-oriented instruction to help users understand a specific skill or product.

And a technical writer is someone who writes these instructions, otherwise known as technical documentation or tutorials. This could include user manuals, online support articles, or internal docs for coders/API developers.

A technical writer communicates in a way that presents technical information so that the reader can use that information for an intended purpose.

Top Skills to Have as a Technical Writer

Understand the use of proper English

Before you consider writing, it is necessary to have a good grasp of English, its tenses, spellings and basic grammar. Your readers don't want to read an article riddled with incorrect grammar and poor word choices.

Know how to explain things clearly and simply

Knowing how to implement a feature doesn't necessarily mean you can clearly communicate the process to others. In order to be a good teacher, you have to be empathetic, with the ability to teach or describe terms in ways suitable for your intended audience.

"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself".
-Albert Einstein

Possess some writing skills

I believe that writers are made, not born. And you can only learn how to write by actually writing.

You might never know you have it in you to write until you put pen to paper. And there's only one way to know if you have some writing skills, and that's by putting it to the test.

Social Media in Technical Writing

Social media can be extremely useful for technical writers in many ways. Some ways include: 

Accessibility
Social media can make technical documentation more accessible to users, upper management, and SMEs across an organization. Companies can share technical documentation with employees on social networks, but they can also decide what to make public and what to keep internal.

Communication
Social media can help technical writers communicate more quickly and effectively with employees and management, which can increase productivity.

Engagement
Social media can help technical writers engage with online communities through a conversational approach. They can use user feedback, reviews, and suggestions to improve their writing structure.

Visual content
Social media can help technical writers improve the impact of text-based content by adding visual elements

Using social media channels, the technical communicators get closer to the users, breaching the gap between the creators and consumers of the support content. Currently, social media channels are an underutilized asset for the technical communicator.

Dos and Don'ts for newbie writers:

Technical Writing Dos:

• Do anticipate what your audience already knows—and will need to know.

• Do rely on subject matter experts (SMEs).

• Do define your scope of work.

• Do have someone review your work.

Technical Writing Don’ts:

• Don’t assume.

• Don’t use language to “seem smart.”

• Don’t forget to cite sources.

Overall, Technical writing is not easy. It definitely takes a special set of skills, coupled with motivation to put the work in and courage to put the work out to the audience. If this is a career you are interested in come prepared for roller coaster of a ride it will be!