When I tell people that I’m a technical writer, their first question is, “what is that?” Unlike Software Engineering or Nursing, Technical Writing is not a well-known profession. Many people think that writing happens only within the media and communication industry. Many writers are also unaware that industries other than media need writers. So to all those who don’t know what technical writing is but want to know more, here’s an overview of what technical writers do:

Industries where technical writers work

Most technical writers work in engineering and science-related industries. Computer-related industries, such as software companies, internet companies, and hardware manufacturers, employ the highest number of technical writers. Medicine-related industries, such as pharmaceutical companies, medical devices manufacturers, and research organizations, also employ a significant number of medical writers. You will also find technical writers working in other technical industries such as electronics manufacturing and automobile. There are technical writers working in the finance sector, too. The government sector also employs many technical writers.

Typical technical writing job

Most technical writers work full-time, either on-site or remotely. Many of them usually work directly for the organization that employs them. Some technical writers work with consultancies that provide technical writing services to their clients. Some technical writers are self-employed or freelancers. They work with clients on a project-basis.  

Whether salaried or self-employed, most technical writers spend their day writing how-to articles, installation guides, user manuals, and other documentation for a product or service. Depending on their expertise and seniority, technical writers can focus on specific aspects of documentation, such as managing websites, maintaining information architecture, managing documentation projects, and managing a team of writers. 

Technical writing is typically a desk-job and involves little or no travelling. However, some jobs may require writers to commute between office and project sites. Sometimes it can involve working on evenings and weekends to meet a deadline. But a typical technical writing job usually has fixed hours.

Typical day in a technical writer’s life

Writing may sound like a solitary process, but in a professional setting it hardly ever is. In fact, writing in the workplace involves many people from many teams and departments. Technical writing is no different. 

Technical writers interact with many people from different departments on a daily basis. This interaction is crucial to collect information about a product or a service they’re writing about. They collaborate with engineers, testers, product managers, product designers, as well as fellow writers to understand the product, get feedback, and create accurate documentation. 

Skills and qualities shared by technical writers

Needless to say, good writing skills are required to be a technical writer. Since the job involves writing about technology, interest in technology is also important. However, in addition to the writing skills and love for technology, here are a few other qualities that are commonly found in good technical writers:

Research-oriented

Technical writers are good at research. They know what information they need and they know how to find it. This typically involves studying existing content, interviewing subject matter experts, and getting hands-on with the product.  

Ask questions

Asking questions is a primary way to get information. Technical writers are good at asking questions. They talk to engineers, product managers, and other experts to understand the product and clarify their queries.    

Analytical mindset

Technical writers don’t just collect the information, they also know how to make sense of it. They can evaluate the quality of information. They can figure out whether information is trustworthy, accurate, relevant, recent, and unbiased. They can see how all pieces of information fit together to create a complete picture.

Troubleshooter

Technical writers like to tinker with things. They can be quite handy – they know how to set up new things and fix broken ones. They can anticipate problems in a product and perhaps also know a work-around. 

Team-player

Technical writers work with experts as well as other writers to produce a good documentation. They contribute toward team goals. 

Lifelong learner

Learning new things is part of a technical writer’s job. They have to be good learners to be able to understand a new product and write about it.   

User-advocate

Technical writers think from the user’s perspective. They know what information the user will be looking for and create documentation that serves the user’s goals.

Clear and concise writer

Technical writers are good at writing in a clear and concise manner. They know their audience and they know how to present a topic to different audiences. They carefully revise, edit, and proofread their writing to ensure that it’s accurate and error-free. 

Technical writing sits at a curious intersection of writing and technology. Technical writers act as a bridge between technology developers and technology users. They work with technocrats to convey their inventions to its users. They take extremely technical content and convert it into a language their audience can understand. They create content that helps users take full advantage of a technology.