Technical Writing Career FAQs for Beginners

Technical writing is a niche field and there isn’t exactly a definite roadmap for a technical writer. How do you become a technical writer? How do you apply for jobs in technical writing? How do you even learn technical writing?

If you have just started a career in technical writing, aspire to become a technical writer, or are a freelance technical writer, then this post is for you. In this post, I attempt to answer some of the FAQs I have encountered from folks considering a career in technical writing.

Note:

• There is a separator dividing questions belonging to different categories.
• Where available, a video is included that answers the questions in that category.

If your query has not been answered in this FAQ article, then leave a comment and I will do my best to address it.

Disclaimer: This post does not address FAQs about technical writing processes.

How do I learn technical writing?

Here’s a brief learning plan to help you get started with learning technical writing:

1. Familiarize yourself with the document development lifecycle (DDLC).
2. Learn a content authoring tool such as MS Word. If you cannot afford it, you can try free tools such as LibreOffice or Google Docs.
3. Learn an image editing tool such as MS Paint or Gimp.
4. Adopt a style guide to keep your writing style consistent. Google and Apple have their own style guides and they are available online for free.
5. Practice creating a basic user guide for any software or product you use.
6. Compare the doc you create with their existing documentation.
7. Revise your documents to include topics you may have missed. Do not copy-paste.

All told, the plan should take about 4 weeks to reach fulfillment. The more you practice, the more you will learn.

I have a detailed article about learning technical writing by yourself that you must check out. I have also created a list of useful tools and resources that can come in handy, see my article Useful Resources. 

For additional help, check out videos on YouTube. There are also some blogs available online, like mine :). If you prefer to learn technical writing in a structured manner, check out courses on Fiverr Learn, Udemy, Skillshare, and Coursera.

Which tools must I learn if I want to become a technical writer?

There are several tools that technical writers use in their careers. While freelance technical writers have the luxury of using tools of preference, full-time or part-time technical writers usually have to use the tools provided by the organization. As such, the tools that every technical writer uses can broadly be classified into the following categories:

• Content authoring tools
• Image editing tools
• Video editing tools

As a beginner, you must have at least some basic knowledge about content authoring and image editing tools. It’s like a doctor being expected to know to use a stethoscope or thermometer. Even if the organization you interview at uses different tools, the underlying principles and functionality of the tools are usually the same.

The following are my favorite tools. As a beginner or a freelancer, start using them as much as you can to build your initial skillset.

• Content authoring: MS Word (Free to try) and Google Docs (Free).
• Image editing: Windows Snipping Tool, MS Paint, and SnagIt.
• Video editing: Shotcut (Free), Camtasia (Free to try), and DaVinci Resolve (Free).

There are several advanced tools in use currently, you can start with basic tools to get started. Don’t fret if you do not have the budget to purchase the tools, try the free alternatives listed above. I have also covered them and more in my Useful Resources post. If you are a Mac user, then you have the equivalents of these tools in your machine already.

What is the skill set required for technical writers?

To become an effective technical writer. you must possess or develop the following soft skills aside from the tools and the obvious writing skills:

Curiosity

Curiosity might have killed the cat but it sure as heck boosted the technical writer’s portfolio and career. Always ask the following questions when documenting anything:

• Who is using this product?
• What does it do?
• How does it work?
• How can it work better?
• What makes it not work?

Your curiosity will compel you to use the product yourself and find bottlenecks and product functionality or configurations where your intended user might face difficulty. This will help you capture those aspects and document them more clearly. This will also help you improve your grasp of the product you are documenting, which will reduce your dependency on subject matter experts (SMEs) for information and also enable you to ask better questions when interviewing SMEs.

Effective communication

As a technical writer, effective communication is key to capturing information about a product for documentation. You will typically have to interview SMEs such as product owners, business analysts, and developers to capture information. If you are unable to communicate effectively with the SMEs, it will impact the quality, timeliness, and usability of your documentation. I do not expect you to speak (or even write flawlessly), but you must be able to communicate well enough to get your point across and understand the response you receive.

Effective relationship with stakeholders

Stakeholders for technical writers are typically the product owners, project managers, developers, and business analysts. These as a group can also be called subject matter experts (SMEs). They’re your primary source of information about the product and also the first people to review your documentation.

Depending upon the products’ complexity, you might have to interview SMEs multiple times to understand certain aspects of a product. If the product is still under development, the SMEs are likely to have very little bandwidth to spare for you. Building a healthy and effective relationship with SMEs encourages them to be more forthcoming with you and ensures that you get your queries clarified smoothly and promptly. These SMEs will typically also review your documentation, so an effective and healthy relationship will help you ensure that document reviews are not delayed or treated as a low-priority item.

Audience analysis

I cannot overstate the significance of understanding your target audience. The better you understand your audience, the better your documentation. Understanding your audience will help you understand the purpose of the product. Don’t confuse this for the product’s function. Product purpose is the problem the product solves. Understanding the product’s purpose will enable you to document the product effectively. Audience analysis will also determine the level of detail in your documentation.

For instance, if I were documenting how to use an ATM for someone who has never heard of banks, the document would be much more detailed with an introduction to banking, debit cards, ATMs, etc., and then talk about procedures. On the other hand, if I were creating the same document for someone who knew about banks and debit cards, my documentation would just be the procedures.

Attention to detail

Depending upon a product’s complexity, there are often several nuances in a product that a typical SME might overlook when providing you the product’s knowledge transfer. It is your job as a technical writer to pick on these and explore them. The more nuances you can find, and document, the better is your documentation in terms of user experience.

Cultivate and nurture these skills and they will show even during job interviews and may even be the deciding factor in your candidature.

I have explained these skills more in detail in the Essential skills for a technical writer article.

Certifications for technical writers (Video)

The following few questions about certifications for technical writers are covered in this video.

Are there any certifications for technical writers?

Yes, several organizations offer technical writing certifications. A simple Google search reveals over 100 organizations worldwide. In my opinion, a certification in technical writing is an unnecessary expenditure.

If the certifying authority or organization also offers a structured course in technical writing along with a certificate, then it can be a worthwhile investment. Not for the certificate but for the learning. Fiverr Learn, Udemy, Skillshare, and Coursera, among others, offer some very good courses. I have not enrolled in any so I do not know how good they are. Read the student reviews before enrolling in a course.

Do I need to be certified as a technical writer? Which is the best technical writing certification?

No. You do not need to be certified as a technical writer to be taken seriously or be hired as a technical writer. Unlike profiles such as code developer, project manager, or scrum master. Several organizations and institutes offer a “certification” in technical writing, but in my experience, they are not credible enough to guarantee an interview or job offer. Your skills, portfolio, and experience are enough.

I do not have any professional technical writing experience; how do I convince companies to hire me?

It is tricky to get companies or potential clients to give you a shot if you are just starting out as a technical writer. How do you avoid this hurdle? Simple, create your own portfolio. My article, Building a technical writing portfolio discusses this in detail.

The following steps will help you build your portfolio:

1. Pick a software, application, or product that you use regularly.
2. Look at the documentation available for users.
3. Evaluate the documentation based on usability (structure), the usefulness of information, and quality. Since you are already using the product, you will be able to look at the documentation objectively and evaluate it properly.
4. Based on your evaluation, create a version of the documents yourself. Create different document types to test your knowledge and hone your skills in creating the different doctypes. Ensure that you follow a consistent style by following a style guide of your choosing.
5. Review your work and rewrite the content to improve quality and make the document concise. It can get laborious, but your efforts will bear fruit. Trust me.
6. Publish your work in a blog.
7. Rinse and repeat for at least 10 different applications, products, and software.

And there you go, by the end you have built an incredible portfolio, practiced technical writing, honed your reviewing skills, and also gained experience as a self-made technical writer! You can then update your resume, LinkedIn profile, and profiles on service-oriented sites such as Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer with links to the portfolio.

Educational requirements for technical writers (Video)

The following few questions about the educational requirements for technical writers are covered in this video.

Is my educational qualification sufficient to become a technical writer?

The answer to this question depends upon whether you want to be a freelance technical writer or a full-time technical writer.

There is no minimum qualification to be a freelance technical writer. If you know your concepts and write reasonably well, you have a very strong chance of bagging projects and gigs. Clients hiring freelancers typically do not concern themselves with the contractor’s educational qualifications. Some clients may haggle and offer a reduced pay grade since you do not possess a Bachelor’s degree, but that is just a tactic. Hold your ground and demand your worth!

If you want to become a full-time technical writer then you must possess at least a Bachelor’s degree. I say this because organizations generally do not hire, or even consider, candidates without a Bachelor’s degree. This attitude may shift in the future, but as of now a Bachelor’s degree is what you need, at least.

Is there a degree or specialization in technical writing?

Yes, several universities offer degree courses and specializations in technical communication or technical writing. These courses can cost upwards of $3000, excluding other expenses such as study materials and hostel stay. I do not recommend any, so I will not list them here.

Do I need a degree or specialization in technical writing or technical communication?

Absolutely not. You do not need a degree or specialization in technical writing or technical communication to become a technical writer. It might be a good-to-have, but is not a must-have. I have a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and have been working as a technical writer for over a decade.

I would be wary of anybody, organization, or university offering a degree or diploma in technical writing or technical communication. Assuming that the course or organization is legit, they would not teach you anything you couldn’t learn for free or at a cheaper price online.

Speaking from personal experience, networking with other technical writers, joining technical writing forums, and taking up courses on Fiverr Learn, Udemy, etc. is a much better investment of your time and money.

Besides, a specialization or degree course in technical communication can potentially narrow your scope a lot. I would instead pick an industry-specific specialization and pick up technical writing knowledge online. I advise the same if you are already a technical writer and are considering a master’s degree in technical writing or technical communication. Pick a specialization that will broaden your scope, perhaps a master’s in data science, analytics, or even literature!

Which is the best specialization in graduate and undergraduate courses for technical writing?

While there aren’t any specializations for technical writing that I am aware of, it can help to get a specialization related to the industry you seek to enter as a technical writer. For example, if you want to become a medical writer, opt for courses around medicine; to become a software technical writer, a computer science-based degree can help.

Having said that, do not lose heart if you have already picked a specialization or have already passed out with another specialization. Learn the basic concepts around the industry of your interest and trust that you will pick the rest up as you work.

Which services or sites are the best to look for freelance technical writing work?

There are several service providers these days that offer steady work for freelance technical writers. Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer are my favorites. A simple Google search will reveal several more. Create an account in all such services, add links to your portfolio, and keep a lookout for all project posts there. Remember here that it can be challenging at first since you are presumably just starting out as a technical writer.

Alternatively, approach the businesses in your region with your portfolio. Chances are that somebody is already creating the documentation for them, usually a developer or a project manager. You can easily convince them how your specific expertise can help them free up developers and project managers to focus on their own jobs while also improving customer satisfaction levels.

Is API writing different from technical writing?

Yes and no.

Yes, in the way that each API corresponds to a specific function, any procedure is not a series of screens or menu items to populate; therefore, as a technical writer, you would document only that function, the parameters associated with it, and the syntax.

No, in the way that APIs as a whole are essentially a product without screens or menus.

In short, API documentation is not very different from technical documentation. It is a niche within technical writing that deals with documenting application programming interfaces (APIs). Typically, it is developers that create API documentation, but bigger organizations use technical writers to document APIs.

How can I learn to become an API technical writer?

A good place to start is by familiarizing yourself with the concept of APIs, key parts in an API, and the tools used to test and document APIs.

As a technical writer documenting APIs, you will typically document:

• API description
• API request
  • Parameters
  • Syntax
  • Examples
• API response
  • Parameters
  • Syntax
  • Examples
• API error codes and troubleshooting

How hard is it to become an API technical writer?

APIs, in my opinion, are fairly straightforward in their operation. APIs are commands (aka API requests) that a user executes to get a certain result (aka API response). Therefore, documenting APIs is also straightforward.

As a technical writer documenting APIs, you must document:

• API description
• API request
  • Parameters
  • Syntax
  • Examples
• API response
  • Parameters
  • Syntax
  • Examples
• API error codes and troubleshooting

Which tools do I use for documenting APIs?

Postman and Swagger are my favorite tools in the API documentation, they are not only easy to use but also free!

As a technical writer, you must be able to use and test the APIs to document them effectively. Fortunately, the tools you will use to test the APIs are also the tools you can use to document them. They have an in-built structure for documenting APIs so your task is limited to filling the template and reviewing the content, as opposed to devising a structure and creating a document from scratch.

Related videos

I hope you found this article helpful. If you didn’t, then I would love to hear from you about what I can do to improve it. For more technical writing-related articles and resources, see the Technical Writing page. Also consider following my YouTube channel learntechnicalwriting, Reddit community r/learntechnicalwriting and Quora space Technical Writer | Technical Writing for more such content.

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