Technical Writing?
Technical writing is basically the translation of ideas into words that a specific audience will understand. It is up to the technical writer to make sure that his or her audience clearly comprehends the content and purpose of his or her work; in other words, a technical writer must create some kind of connection, especially since technical writers often write about technical subjects. To do this, technical writers concentrate on three things: 1) what they are writing about, 2) who they are writing for, and 3) how they can write so that their audience can fully grasp the concept.
But technical writers don't just write; they also design entire documents, and often work with numerous design visuals. These documents can have a great range, and be anything from computer software manuals to editorial work in children's books. This kind of variety is what makes technical writing so interesting, because it involves so many different fields, or levels of writing. So really, in order to understand what a technical writer does, you only need to ask one question: "Who needs a writer?" Everytime you pick up a sheet of instructions or an advertisement brochure, skim through a magazine, surf an internet site, or look up at a billboard, consider the fact that someone had to write (and most likely edit) what you read. When you think about technical writing on that kind of level, the possibilities are endless.
Hopefully this gives you a basic understanding about technical writing. To learn more about technical writing and career options visit Writing Opportunities or take a look at resources on Kathryn's webpage. To learn more about graduate school resources visit Technical Writing Education, and try the link to Eva's webpage. Check out Technical Writing Online and Technical Writing Resources for great information about technical writing. Also, to learn about different career opportunities available in professional writing visit Writing Professions.
Last edited September 18, 2006
Kathryn Marrone
Eva Fowler