Technical writing produces clear instructional and explanatory material for specific audiences in fields such as medicine, law, science, and business. Specialization is common, and accuracy is crucial in legal and medical writing. Corporate writers produce end-user documents, catalogs, web content, and marketing materials, including white papers. A background in a specific field can be helpful, and good self-marketing and software skills are important.
Technical writing provides instructional and explanatory material in clear, readable prose. Writers can specialize in several fields, including medicine, law, science, and business. They can produce end-user manuals, which are documents intended for a traditional, specific technical audience, such as technical specifications, marketing brochures, and white papers. The writer usually has knowledge of the subject or can employ industry experts to provide insight.
Most technical writers have experience in one area and specialize in that. Technical and scientific writing requires a great deal of knowledge about the subject and is usually aimed at people who understand it too, as in a scientific process or an engineering problem. Technical writing isn’t like writing literature because it doesn’t require a broad appeal but instead is aimed at a specific audience. It also does not use figurative language, but is instead direct and informative.
In the legal, medical, and education fields, technical writing must be accurate. Medical documents must use the correct terminology and be clearly understood by the reader. In the field of health insurance, this is a growing concern because policies need to be easy for the average person to understand. Education has its own requirements and people employed to write techniques in this field usually have some experience as teachers or administrators and can design teaching or test materials and write textbooks.
Corporate Technical Writers produce building instructions and other end-user documents, catalogs, web content, and marketing materials for a specific company. Safety procedures and employee handbooks dictate procedures for emergency situations and things like dress codes, conduct, and employee benefits. Writers who have graphic skills can also put together presentation materials and presentations for meetings and conferences.
Another document that technical writers do for businesses is white papers. These are reports that educate readers and function as marketing tools. For example, they may present an informative look at a problem that can be solved by the company’s product. They tend to be less straightforward and longer than a brochure or sales sheet. Writers who aren’t necessarily experts in the product or topic can interview experts for in-depth information.
Writers who wish to seek a career in this field can major in English and creative writing while at university, but having skills in another field is helpful. Science and computer science majors, for example, may market their services in user document creation. Any special knowledge can be used in developing technical material as well as good self-marketing and software skills. A well-crafted resume and samples of any technical writing will help land the assignments.
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