To Train Or Not To Train A Technical Writer

Lots of questions have been asked as to whether or not you need formal training to be a Technical Writer. Personally, I feel the answer is yes. You need to have some kind of training or degree, whether it is a degree in journalism or a certificate in Business Writing, or a degree in English or Communication. But it is even more than that. Today’s Technical Writer needs a technical degree or a technical background to get a foot in the door, such as a degree in the Sciences, i.e., Biology, Computer Science, Engineering, etc. Many companies have hired people who are not technical and are just writers and have been disappointed in the results. Reason being, their responsibilities included:

• Gathering requirements from subject matter experts such as clients, developers, etc.
• Translating complex technical information, development and relational database concepts into clear easy to understand language for developers and users as well as for training and marketing material
• Understanding complex technical information and organizing it into logical sections that can be followed by the target audience
• Creating a variety of documents that involve standard operating procedures, request for proposals as well as usability testing and regulatory compliance requirements
• Having good communication skills and being able to stick to schedules
• Developing project plans and being a knowledge liaison across departments.

Originally, people started off with a degree in writing (i.e., journalism, Business Writing, English) and worked in various companies or did freelance work. Sometimes this work took them into the technical writing arena. From there, they gained more and more experience within the technical field.

If you begin with a technical degree, you can end up writing for an infinite variety of industries from financial to education, to technical companies to publishing, to Civilian and Defense industries to government contracts, to any kind of global contract. If you begin with a degree in the sciences like Biology, you can possibly end up working in pharmaceutical companies or in a related field. Also, fields such as engineering, chemistry, physics, aerospace, manufacturing, computing, finance, consumer electronics, and biotechnology all need Technical Writers. The field is wide open to you.

So yes, you need some sort of training to be a Technical Writer, because a Technical Writer has to comprehend technology in a way that can be explained to a target audience. You have to be able to research and understand the technology you are working in. Think of the position as a Technical Communicator, because we are translators and professional editors. We are translators because we break down technical terminology into understandable everyday usage for our target audience. We are editors, because our documentation has to be error free in the usage of grammar, spelling, etc. This is especially important when producing writing matter such as marketing, training, or compliance material, which reflects upon a company’s image.

Do you agree?