What is technical writing?
By
Tim North
info@betterwritingskills.com
http://www.BetterWritingSkills.com
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Before
setting up shop as a proofreader (www.scribe.com.au),
I worked as a technical writer. When I told people
what I did, I was often met with blank stares bordering
on total incomprehension.
These
days, I'm often asked how to get into the field of
proofreading, and I usually suggest a stint doing
technical writing first. Again, I'm often met by the
same response. :-)
Thus
I thought I'd set the record straight and finally
answer that question that has (I'm quite sure) been
keeping you awake at nights:
Just
what is a "technical writer" anyway?
Technical
writing is the profession that involves translating
scientific and technical information into more easily
understandable language.
Technical
writers may prepare scientific and technical reports,
operating and maintenance manuals, catalogues, assembly
instructions, sales materials and project proposals.
They may also plan and edit technical reports and
oversee the preparation of illustrations, photographs,
diagrams and charts.
Some
technical writers work full time for a single company
for many years; others choose to do short-term contracts
(usually of three to twelve months duration) for a
variety of companies. Some hold a managerial (or other)
job in which technical writing is just one of many
tasks that they perform.
Some
technical writers may specialise in a particular field
such as medicine or computing. Others may write about
a wide range of areas. Some start as general writers
and then acquire specialised technical knowledge.
Others start as technical professionals and then learn
technical writing "on the job".
To
be a successful technical writer (whether full time
or just occasionally) you need many skills:
*
You need a degree -- or at least a great deal of
experience -- in the field (or fields) about which
you're writing.
*
Obviously, you need to be able to write well. At
a minimum, this involves having a good vocabulary
and a strong command of grammar, spelling and punctuation.
*
You also need to be able to organise information
well. When writing a technical report, you need
to be able to arrange the information into a suitable
order, delete (or de-emphasise) less important information,
cross-reference the information and more.
*
You need good people skills. Sometimes the only
people who will be able to answer your questions
about the material you're writing about will be
scientists, programmers and engineers. These folk
are not always the best communicators! Regardless,
you'll have to be able to organise time to talk
with them, tease out the answers to your questions,
and have them check your work for technical correctness.
This requires good interpersonal skills.
*
You will need good Internet and library skills as
these can be vital sources of information. You need
to know how to use them efficiently.
*
It helps to be a fast and accurate typist. Often
you'll be working on a deadline, and two-finger
typing will be a disadvantage.
It's
a challenging career, and not an easy one to get into.
If you work at it, though, it can be both financially
rewarding and professionally satisfying.
You'll
find many more helpful tips like these in Tim North's
much applauded range of e-books. More information
is available on his web site, and all books come with
a money-back guarantee. http://www.BetterWritingSkills.com
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