Technical Writing: Why and How?
“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”~ Anaïs Nin
One of my goals for 2018 was to pick up writing. Like everyone new to writing, the number one question on my mind was how to get started?
Seven months down the line, I have written more articles than I had expected. In this article, I’ll be talking about why and how to get started with technical writing.
What is technical writing?
According to Wikipedia:
Technical writing is any written form of writing or drafting technical communication used in a variety of technical and occupational fields, such as computer hardware and software, engineering, chemistry, aeronautics, robotics, finance, medical, consumer electronics, and biotechnology.
Technical writing involves conveying complex technical information in the most clear, concise and effective way possible. This usually requires a fairly strong knowledge on the subject matter.
No one is born a technical writer. The skills required to become a good technical writer are honed through constant practice.
“To teach is to learn twice over.”~ Joseph Joubert
Why technical writing?
There are many reasons why you should write technical articles, below are a few:
Reinforce your knowledge
Writing about a topic/technology helps you reinforce your knowledge on the topic. To break down a complex topic into an easy-to-understand article, you’d have to carry out an extensive research on the topic. While researching the topic, you’re bound to discover something new, or get a better understanding of what you already know.
Help others
I have a personal rule; if it takes me a long while to figure it out, or find a solution online, then I’m writing about it. Writing articles on a technology you know, or on how to build a simple app, will go a long way to help lots of people find their way in their moments of confusion.
There’s always the thought that “someone else has already written about it” but remember, no one was able to write it clearly enough for you to understand, so spare a thought for others like you and write that article today.
Grow your writing skills
Technical writing requires strong writing, communication and research skills. Mastery of these skills is not attained in one day. On the contrary, it requires lots of practice and consistency. With each article you write, you get to grow these skills.
Build your portfolio
Developers like Christian Nwamba, Prosper Otemuyiwa and Ire Aderinokun have built a reputation for themselves through the articles they have churned out over the years. Writing technical articles helps you promote yourself and show to the world that you have a strong understanding of what you do.
Make some quick bucks
Lots of companies like Scotch.io pay for technical articles. They believe these articles can help developers around the world, and are willing to pay for it to be on their platform. This offers you an opportunity to cash in on something you already enjoy doing.
How to get started
Now that you’re convinced without doubt that you should write technical articles, the next question is how to get started.
Know your topic
When you finally come up with a topic to write about, take out time to carry out a research on the topic. This helps ensure that you’re passing the right information to your audience.
Outline the necessary information your audience ought to gain from reading the article. Try to convey the necessary information in a simple and easy-to-understand manner. Use examples when necessary to drive your point home.
Know your audience
Everything you do as a technical writer is for your audience. Knowing your target audience helps simplify your writing process. The complexity of your article must match their technical know-how. Avoid using complex technical terms if your target audience are newbies.
Seek feedback
No man is an island of knowledge. Effective feedback, both positive and negative is very important. It is an essential part of learning, and to grow as a technical writer, always seek a second opinion on every article you write.
Getting feedback and technical reviews on your article will help you spot both grammatical and technical errors. This will ensure you always put out quality articles.
Consistency
Practice they say makes perfect. No one ever becomes a good writer after one or two articles. Set monthly or bi-monthly goals for yourself and ensure you meet them. The more you write, the better you become.
Conclusion
There you have it. Technical writing is not as daunting as widely believed. It requires a lot of work, but if you put in the work, you’d get the desired results.
Below are some resources and tools to get you started. I can’t wait to read your next article.
As always, please 👏 and share this article if you’ve found it helpful. You can also hit me up on Twitter @developia_.
Do you need to hire top developers? Talk to Andela to help you with that.
