Cons of a Technical Writing Job
In my articles, I often tell you how awesome technical writing job is. But, as everything in this world, it’s not perfect. So this time I wanted to touch upon its downsides in order to help you make a decision about whether this job is suitable for you or not.
If you have anything to add to my article or share your experience — feel free to reply in the comment section!
Technical writing is not creative
Speaking of technical writing itself, it’s not so creative as other types of writing because technical writers create documentation, describing product features and how to use them to get as many benefits as a user can. So, in order to help people use these products properly, documentation should be clear and easy-to-interpret. It should not contain metaphors, similes and other figures of speech. The language of documentation should be dry. In some situations using humor in technical documentation can be acceptable but not always. This aspect can demotivate some professionals to work as a technical writer because not all people like to write dry manuals. So, keep in mind this aspect if you want to become a technical writer and you like to write literary texts. In the article called ‘Technical Writing and Creativity’ I wrote more about this aspect.
You will not be famous
Unfortunately, technical writing can be a thankless job — you will get only the money for your writing but your name will not be mentioned in your manuals and nobody will know who wrote this informative documentation. Unless you create a blog as Ugur Akinci or I did. So, maybe, people will notice you and know that you create useful things. Unfortunately, nowadays, there are so many bloggers that the chance of success is pretty slim.
Sedentary workstyle
In the article called ‘Guest Post: From Translator to Technical Writer’, I’ve mentioned that technical writing is interesting because you always meet and communicate with smart people with different areas of expertise: SMEs, developers, designers and so on. However, technical writing is more about writing, and most of the time you will sit and write. Sedentary workstyle is harmful to health, so, if you have any problems with your loins or back, think twice about whether this job is more important than your health and, maybe, you need to think about something else. Unfortunately, everyone works in offices now and it’s hard to imagine a profession with a different working environment. So, if you really want to become a technical writer, here is the article called ‘Productive Day of a Technical Writer’ where I described my ordinary day as a technical writer and also mentioned some tips how to choose the best chair for working. However, it’s better to consult your doctor if you have some health problems.
You should follow style guidelines and standards
As I’ve said above, technical documentation should be concise and grammatically correct; that’s why technical writers follow style guidelines and standards. Some writers find these restrictive because they prefer to have a freer hand in grammatical constructions, for example. However, it’s not a big deal, style guidelines help tech writers in different difficult situations when they have questions about punctuation, using product names, and the like. So, keep in mind, your tech writing will be limited by style guidelines and standards whether you want it or not.
Conclusion
So, here is the truth about technical writing. However, don’t think that this profession barely worth our attention. Every career has its cons and pros, so choose a job according to your interests and needs.
Learn pros of a technical writing career from the article called ‘Advantages of a Technical Writing Career’.
How did I become a technical writer? What skills do you need? Read FAQ on Technical Writing.
