Getting started in Technical Writing

Getting started in Technical Writing

Introduction

A few months ago, I had no idea where to start in technical writing, but now I'm here publishing my first piece. I was thrilled to be accepted into the Empower Her Community technical writing Bootcamp which is in partnership with Non Tech in Tech, in an effort to pick up new skills aside from being a front-end developer.

I'd want to express my gratitude to Benny Ifeanyi , Blessing Ene, Timonwa, Light for providing us with many resources and motivation to begin technical writing. I've come to realize how remarkable it is how a little bit of knowledge or expertise can go a long way in really assisting another person. In order to help you get started with technical writing, I'm sharing this article on the fundamentals of technical writing.

What is technical writing?

I’ve got to learn that the main goal of technical writing is to simplify complex technical concepts so that readers can understand them. You are supposed to break down technical languages in a manner in which it will be easy to comprehend even though the reader doesn't have expertise in the field. It may take the form of writing, drawing, or another medium.

Technical writing is a type of writing where the author is writing about a particular subject that requires direction, instruction, or explanation.

According to grammar

Why do we write?

Every technical writer has a reason for writing; it might be for marketing purposes, to explain how to use a product guide, or to explain an instruction (documentation purposes), but everyone has the same goal in mind: they want to communicate with the reader effectively and efficiently, pass along information they can understand, and to share knowledge they can benefit from.

Forms of technical writing

You can communicate your ideas using a variety of technical writing styles. For best practices, it will be beneficial if you concentrate on two or three forms so that it won't be overwhelming. I received the following forms from Mr. Benny during my technical Bootcamp:

  • User Guides
  • Blog post and How to guides
  • API Documentation
  • SDK Documentation (Software Development Kit)
  • Onboarding guides
  • White Paper
  • Onboarding guides
  • Case Studies
  • Standard Operating Procedures
  • Business Standards (Legal/ Security/ Privacy policies)
  • Test Schedules
  • Product Requirement Documentation
  • Market Requirements Documentation
  • Release Note

Skills to have as a technical writer

As a technical writer, you should have the following fundamental abilities or work on developing them:

  • Ability to communicate clearly; a technical writer should be able to convey information or document information in a way that is easier for people to grasp. Avoid using technical terms that people who aren't experts in that field won't be able to understand.

  • Be willing to learn new skills and be flexible when working as a technical writer for an organization or as a freelancer. To increase your access to more work options, keep an open mind and be willing to learn about and conduct studies on new topics.

  • Writing; a technical writer should be able to write clearly and concisely, use proper grammar to avoid turning the reader off, understand the fundamental sentence construction rules, avoid using too many technical terms, identify the audience you want to be drawn to your work, and know the appropriate tone to use when addressing them.

  • Technical skill: Having at least a basic understanding of technology will be beneficial if you're attempting to document a technological issue. Due to the fact that you are writing for readers, you will be able to simplify the language so that others may grasp them quickly.

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Conclusion

You don't always have to worry about writing poor articles; we are still learning, so there is room for error. You can write articles about essentially any field of interest, including financial services, software development, and the medical industry; it just depends on your area of specialization.