Become a Technical Writer and Start Earning!

Momentswithbren
6 min readFeb 13, 2022

If you are particularly talented when it comes to breaking down complex processes into easy-to-understand articles, then technical writing might be the right niche for you.

Here are some tips, resources and writing tools for you:

Technical writing refers to the process of creating the documentation & online authoring for certain operations, systems or software. There are a lot of companies out there looking for full-time content creators that can develop user guides and knowledge base on different subjects. As a technical writer, you can work in almost any industry, from banking and finance, medical, IT, business, agriculture, aerospace, engineering, manufacturing, real estate, construction to food processing. Or, you can choose to be a freelancer and work with diverse clients.

The job of technical writers has a massive scope as it is a very versatile job. If you know the nuances and the relevant skills of this job, you can build a great career for yourself. You can learn the technicalities and the tricks to succeed in this field by upskilling. Writing Style is very important for technical writers. The writing should be done keeping in view the audience. Sometimes the audience is the general public or people from the technical field themselves. Understanding the knowledge of the audience is very important.

– Gain the expertise and confidence to brand yourself as a Technical Writer or work with advanced technical assignments as a freelancer.

– Get a foundational description of the necessary steps in planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing technical content.

There are different technical reports:

  • Laboratory Reports
  • Research Reports
  • Design and Feasibility Reports
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
  • Business Procedures
  • On-screen Help Guides
  • Safety Manuals
  • Literature Reviews
  • Progress Reports
  • Conference Papers
  • Grant Proposals
  • Case Study
  • API Manuals
  • Data Sheets
  • Press Releases
  • Web Content
  • White Papers
  • Application Notes
  • Request for Quotation (RFQ)
  • Request for Proposal (RFP) Invitation to tender (ITD)
  • Literature Review
  • Conference Papers
  • Capability Summary
  • Installation and Setup Guides
  • Training Workbook

Here are some free online courses and ebooks on Technical Writing:

1. Technical Writing Courses | Google

This collection of courses and learning resources aims to improve your technical documentation. Learn how to plan and author technical documents. You can also learn about the role of technical writers at Google.

https://t.co/RQXX50rItT

2. Technical Writing Training Courses | Udemy

Almost every industry uses technical writing for documentation, public relations, and reporting. Whether you’re interested in API documentation, engineering reporting, or business writing.

https://t.co/Wi2cr98Ltk

3. Free Online Technical Writing Essentials Course | Alison

Learn the complexity and iterative nature of a writing process, and the importance of knowing your audience and writing specifically to meet their needs.

https://t.co/eVv0nq4NPD

4. Technical Writing | Coursera

Learn the technical writing skills required to communicate information gained through a technical or experimental work process. The course emphasises the factors that influence the technicality of the language.

https://t.co/x6Jdn5rFZm

5. Introduction to Technical Writing | Wizline Academy

Technical writing is one of the biggest emerging professions in the IT industry, helping to communicate complex technical concepts to a variety of audiences.

https://t.co/vfKvqeXk4G

6. Technical Writing by Wikiversity

The demand for writers who can communicate complex topics in simple formats has never been greater. Technical writing isn't about "dumbing down"; it's about writing to the correct level.
https://t.co/wIe5vLXNyg

7. Advanced Workshop in Writing for Science and Engineering (ELS)

This course covers the basics of working with sources, including summarizing and paraphrasing, synthesizing source materials, citing, quoting, and avoiding plagiarism.

https://t.co/OM1za9fPgr

8. Intro to Tech Communication

Many scientists and technical professionals must write progress reports, analyses, literature reviews, or other documents to communicate within their workplaces, and many must also address more general audiences.

https://t.co/fGM5nhW9ZH

9. Technical Writing | Saylor Academy

Covers internal workplace communications, external business-to-business and business-to-consumer writing skills, presentations and how to use visuals effectively, process documents, and using social media effectively. https://t.co/onR6MWCytB

10. Writing for the web is a skill set of its own. Website text, or “copy”, needs to be written in a different tone for the web than a brochure. It needs to be built around the target keywords for the site and be written for a lower literacy audience.

https://t.co/kBjDjqtbPX

11. Online Technical Writing Classes (SkillShare)

SkillShare provides a wide variety of Technical Writing courses and classes that are designed keeping end-user requirements in mind.

https://t.co/VSQ9LvcE6G

12. FREE Technical Writing Course!

– Why become a Technical Writer?
– How to Research a Technical Document
– How to Design and Write a Technical Document
– How to Use Images & Graphs in a Technical Document
– How to Review & Edit a Technical Document

https://t.co/knSIxfdxkb

13. ClickHelp Technical Writing Blog

Stories/Articles for technical writers, web developers and web designers willing to grow.

https://t.co/Edvj4hWdX9

14. Graduate Technical Writing Workshop | MIT Open Courseware
https://t.co/Va1ub2Hf24

15. Technical Report Writing for Engineers | FutureLearn

Get an introduction to technical report writing. Find out how to communicate your ideas through well-written engineering reports.

https://t.co/SAnFSwJMa3

16. Documenting APIs: A guide for technical writers and engineers

https://t.co/e6BzVebDw9

17. GitLab's Technical Writing Fundamentals course helps GitLab and community contributors write and edit documentation.

https://t.co/eQrnXkpdRs

18. The Microsoft Writing Style Guide provides guidelines for anyone writing technical documentation.

https://t.co/65N4pTltGq

19. The Google developer documentation style guide provides editorial guidelines for anyone writing developer documentation for Google-related projects.

https://t.co/WdstnWy1pF

20. Technical Writing Textbook by Allison Gross and Co.

A textbook focusing on technical writing in the workplace, with an emphasis on audience analysis, writing for specific situations, document design, research processes, and visual aids. https://t.co/u5KvsOmoUf

Other Resources:

  1. The Society for Technical Communication

STC has launched an initiative for new TechComm professionals (as well as those new to STC) to provide educational and networking opportunities to help you get started in your techcomm career. https://t.co/MlqpLX1QMA

2. Using a Style Guide for Technical Writing to Improve the Quality of Your Content https://t.co/xZ1HrulLbr

🔹️Free Resources That Will Improve Your Writing Skills

https://t.co/kbdegIPtt8

🔹️Types of Technical Documentation
https://t.co/sDOizyguQ9

🔹️Technical Writer Career Guide
https://t.co/B9sZemmhz4

🔹️Technical Writing: Readability and Text Metrics
https://t.co/9V9XPZXBPV

What Are The Different Types of Technical Writing?

Think of technical writing as copywriting’s most basic, straight-to-the-point version of organizing facts to educate and explain how to do something. https://t.co/WbvXksmZy5

Excellent examples of technical writing

The gold standard for good technical writing isn’t entertainment value or clever phrasing or even intelligence. When it comes to technical writing, good means informative, detailed, and digestible.

https://t.co/ZAgtIbZtpF

Best Technical Writing & Editing Tools:
🔹️Google Docs
🔹️Microsoft Word
🔹️Adobe Acrobat 
🔹️Adobe Framemaker
🔹️Markdown Editor
🔹️WPS Office
🔹️Softmaker Free TextMaker
🔹️LibreOffice
🔹️Whatfix
🔹️WordPress
🔹️Notepad++
🔹️DraftIn. com
🔹️Zoho Writer
🔹️Scribus

Technical Writing Tools for Publishing and Multi-Platform Authoring:

🔹️HeroThemes
🔹️Adobe RoboHelp
🔹️MadCap Flare
🔹️Adobe FrameMaker
🔹️BetterDocs
🔹️HelpScribble
🔹️HelpGenerator
🔹️Helpinator
🔹️HelpSmith
🔹️ClickHelp

Snipping Tool for technical writing:

🔹️Snipping Tool Of Windows
🔹️ShareX
🔹️Screenpresso
🔹️Screenrec. com
🔹️Lighshot
🔹️TechSmith Capture (Formerly Jing)
🔹️Droplr
🔹️Loom
🔹️PicPick
🔹️Greenshot

Animation ( including 2D and 3D animations) Tools:

🔹️Powtoon
🔹️Animaker
🔹️Adobe Animate
🔹️Autodesk Maya
🔹️KeyShot
🔹️Daz Studio 
🔹️K-3D
🔹️Biteable
🔹️VideoScribe by Sparkol
🔹️Renderforest
🔹️Pencil2D Animation
🔹️Synfig Studio
🔹️Toon Boom Harmony

Important Technical Writing Skills To Have:

🔹️Clear understanding and knowledge of your product
🔹️ In-depth knowledge of your product’s industry
🔹️ User persona targeting
🔹️ Technical documentation essentials
🔹️Mastering the mode of communication
🔹️Research

More info here: https://t.co/bDB8tEQPQS

Technical Writer Resume Samples:
It's important to highlight your technical knowledge, research skills, and computer literacy throughout the skills section of your resume

https://t.co/7U6li0F6QI

https://t.co/HefDFcnGg4

https://t.co/W71nRyiAZD

https://t.co/pQOQmoN9Qs

Where to Find Technical Writing Jobs:

  • LinkedIn
  • Indeed
  • SimplyHired
  • WeWorkRemotely
  • PeoplePerHour
  • Guru
  • Snagajob
  • Glassdoor
  • Flexjobs
  • Jooble
  • Relocate.me
  • Startup.jobs
  • 42jobs.io
  • Remoteok.io
  • Remotework.tech
  • Moberries.com
  • Remote.co
  • Workana
  • JustTechJobs.com
  • Twitter
  • Monster
  • Contentwritingjobs.com
  • Upwork
  • Freelancer.com
  • Brybe.com
  • Google Job Alert
  • Follow@Momentswithbren on Twitter and Medium.

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Momentswithbren

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