Technical Writing? What’s That?

When I decided to leave the Air Force um {cough} years ago, I wondered what I was going to do.  Now, I’d like to tell you what I did in the AF, however, I can’t.  I think you know where I’m going with that.

Anyway, after describing some of the tasks that I did over 10 years, someone told me that Technical Writing was a pretty good fit. Technical Writing?  What’s that?  Technical writing is the ability to take a product of some sort and boil it down in easy to understand language for the end-user where a process or task can then be accomplished.

Apparently, Writing instructions on how to use the computers in my office translated into technical writing.  Who knew that the ability to decipher how to use computers (because manuals were never provide — if they even existed) into layman’s terms that anyone could understand had a real application in the civilian world?

Now, how-to manuals on computers and associated software are not the only area of technical writing.  Technical Writers can be used in almost any area.  I have written manuals and online help (details in another post) for libraries, insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, real estate firms, and the mortgage industry.  In fact, technical writing is such a broad field that there is a whole organization developed just for technical writers:  Society of Technical Communication.

We write manuals for everything you can think of:  computers?  check.  software? check. medical industry? check. banking processes? check. human resources? check. billing and accounting? check.  Well, you see where I’m going with this.  If you need something written, then a technical writer is probably what you need.

If you like to write, have great attention to detail, don’t mind pressure of learning and documenting on the fly, then you should consider becoming a technical writing.  It’s a great field, albeit not very creative, although I have been known to take liberties in the creative area with screen shots

I will admit that my friends and family think that watching grass grow is more exciting, but guess who they come to when they can’t figure out a computer problem or when that manual telling them to hook something up isn’t clear?  Yup, you guessed it.

Now if you’re reading this post and are thinking about hiring a technical writer, but don’t want the added employee or the financial costs that go with that position, then consider a Freelancer.  Hmmm, guess I just found an idea for my next post.

I like technical writing not only for the structure, but because I get to write everyday.  My goal isn’t to become the best technical writer out there, but rather a really well-known author. Sigh, guess that’s another story.

Check back soon and I’ll digress into why a Freelancer and Fiction Writer.

Catch ya on the flip side.