Technical Writing

Lesson 2: What a Technical Writer Does

Producing Professional Documentation

As you read and study and continue to assess whether technical writing is for you, consider some of the following strategies that are important in producing professionally written documentation.

1. Like so many other writers, I have learned the hard way that it is important to your efficiency as a writer to create an outline.

2. Be sure to incorporate the timelines of your team mates in your planning of the deliverables.

3. Organize and then, reorganize some more.

4. You must learn to be observant and to listen well..

5. Be very aware of details; they are so important to technical writing.

6. Ask questions when you do not understand a point. You certainly cannot guess at a technical function when your main mission is to produce concise, accurate documents.

7. Be sure that you are specific in your writing. You cannot be vague in this type of writing.

8. Look for likenesses, parallels, contrasts, reversals, and antithesis.

9. There is a saying among writers that "Good writers borrow but great writers steal" There is some truth to this as we all build on each others work; we do not create in isolation. However, be careful how you borrow; you do not want to plagiarize.
10. Revise, revise and proof and proof are the hallmarks of an excellent technical communicator.

11. With a few exceptions (notably in writing for software tool kits), technical documents are written in "active voice." Avoid passive voice and try not to overuse the word "there," which is usually not specific enough.

12. Be sure you have a co-worker or other person proof your writing. We all have a tendency not to notice certain mistakes that we are prone to make.

13. Try at least to get interested in the product or process that you are documenting. It helps you in producing documentation that is more thorough.
14. Don't over estimate your audience's knowledge of the subject. For example, be sure that you include all the steps necessary to document a process or procedure; don't assume the user will fill in the blanks.

15. As a technical communicator it is critical that you be willing to deal with change. Sometimes it seems that just as you have learned everything there is to know about a new software application and have become the consummate expert in its operation and use, you must suddenly start working on new, quite different assignment that represents a totally new learning experience for you.

    For example, when I was working as a contract technical writer for a large semi-conductor manufacturing firm, I prepared training targeted toward new employees to help them learn about a highly sophisticated inventory forecasting system. Six months later that project ended, and I was suddenly learning how to write documentation for software tool kits intended for software engineers. Not being a programmer, I studied the C++ coding language by night while interviewing engineers and writing and editing manuals by day!

16. Try to enjoy what you are doing. Realize that you are actually helping other people with your writing even though your audience may seem remote.

Recommended ReadingThe Complete Idiot's Guide To Technical Writing, Pages 50-59

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