What makes a good technical writer?

Recently, in one of the forums there was a debate going round that what is it that makes a good technical writer – “a writer with good writing skills” or “writer with good technical skills.” What is it that most organizations see while hiring a technical writer, whether it is good writing skills or good technical skills? In my view, it should be a mix of both, good writing as well as technical skills that make up a good and complete technical writer. It is not the other way around or just one skill that is a key to a good technical writer. Here are some of the key facts that make up a good technical writer.

1. A good technical writer is one who is able to write the documents in clear, concise, and crisp manner so the readers are able to perform the tasks right away.
2. There are few writers who feel that it is not our job to understand technical concepts as it is the job of an engineer or a software developer. Our job is just to get all this information from the engineers and then use our communication skills to turn it into good writing. Well, I would defer from this statement because as technical writers, we are not just mere copy-editors. We are not just meant to correct misspellings and move around commas. In fact, we are not technical writers but information developers who have to develop information that will be presented to the end-user. Our focus is not just to write the documents in simple words but also to ensure that the document design is presented in a simplified manner.
3. One of the most important qualities of a technical writer is that they should be able to organize information in a manner that is user-friendly. The content that we usually receive from the engineers is in an unorganized state so it is our job to analyze that information and then organize it effectively. Thus, I would follow the “80:20” rule while writing any technical document; i.e. 80% of analysis and just 20% of writing the information.
4. Again, one more important quality that a technical writer must possess is the ability to collaborate with different people. Technical Writers often work in teams and collaborate with subject matter experts, programmers and various technical experts, and that too at times, at different time zones and different cultural diversities. So, we technical writers need to be able to communicate well enough in order to gather information. At times, it also happens that we do not get the desired time from the technical experts so what the most important quality that we should possess is, “Patience”. Patience acts as a key factor or a skill for any technical writer to be successful.
5. Time is also one of the critical skills for technical writers. Technical Writers often find themselves working against really tough deadlines, so an ability to time themselves and produce consistent quality is a must.
6. Another most important quality of a technical writer is the ability to focus on both the facts and writing. Well, you cannot simply list the facts and leave it to the user to understand them and vice-versa. Instead, you need to first have the correct facts and then present them in a manner that appeals to the user. So, this way, technical writers can also be creative and most importantly, think from user’s perspective.
7. Moving further and continuing to what we just discussed in the above statement that technical writers need to be creative and think creatively. Once you have done all your analysis and have and complete knowledge of technical subject, you need to start working on the technical documents to make it appealing to the user. This means that you need to include attractive headings, use short sentences, cite examples wherever required, and avoiding unnecessary repetition of words.

Thus, these are some of the qualities that make up a good technical writer. So, it is not just technical or writing skills that are required for a technical writer. Any hiring manager will look for a mix of both and all the skills listed above while hiring a technical writer for its organization.

Its not that technical writers need to be engineers but at least they should possess genuine interest in technology or technical aspects that they have to communicate it to the end-user. It is only then that the technical writers can justify their presence in this IT industry.

Happy Technical Writing !!

Technical Writing: Get paid to simplify jargon! by Resmi Jaimon

You must be tech savvy, creative, organized and have the ability to explain technical concepts to have a successful career as a tech writer.

Click here for more: http://www.careers360.com/news/4581-Career-review-Technical-writing

Comma: Has it been underrated?

"The older I grow, the less important the comma becomes. Let the reader catch his own breath.” -- Elizabeth Clarkson Zwart

Hello everyone, I am the Mr. Comma, which you use while writing any document such as magazines, journals, user manuals, and so on. I have been used differently by various authors, and not only this, different cultures use me in an entirely different fashion. That’s the irony of a poor little me that I have been used in various number of ways in so may people’s writings. Sometimes, I wonder that where did I originate from, and who was my godfather?