4 answers
Kayla
Student
Baltimore, Maryland
1
Question
Updated
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How did you know that pursuing technical writing was the *right* way to go?
I've been dancing around the career for at least a year already. I like science and writing, but I'm not sure if that's enough to go down the technical writing route. I'm passionate about making non-science/math people understand these fields, because even if my major is in the humanities, I can safely say that understanding some degree of science makes me more aware of my lifestyle. I've been looking into grad programs for technical communication, but am still nervous. What if I'm choosing a career I'll hate in a few years? People who are technical writers and love their jobs, how did you know that technical writing was the *right* career?
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4 answers
Dave Jordan
Technical Writer
3
Answers
Columbia
Updated
Dave’s Answer
Hello Kayla,
I could relate to your concerns and questions about a career in technical writing because that's how I felt in the beginning. Just like many others, I found my way into it almost by accident. I started my education in Electrical Engineering with the plan of becoming a digital designer (designing electrical circuits) and took an elective course titled "Technical Writing." Because my father worked for Westinghouse and was a designer of underwater sonar systems, he gave me some ideas as to what a technical writer could write about when I told him about the course. So, my first experience writing an actual technical "story" was the class assignment. So, I got an "A" on the assignment with the professor telling me "I didn't understand a thing you were writing about (because it was too technical for him), but it was well-written and interesting to read."
The next phase of my evolution came to me at a job at Ford Aerospace back in 1988 when I was asked by my boss if I had any interest in helping out with some technical documentation projects up in the front office of a rather large program. Of course, I thought back to my Technical Writing course in college, and thought I would give it a try. It turned out that I was deemed successful because I was the most technical person in the whole technical writing group. And, this is where I discovered that technical writing is not as difficult as I thought it would be, but was actually a LOT of fun for me because I started learning about some really interesting projects and systems. And, the more I learned about the systems, the more I wanted to understand about the next thing. And, I can tell you that after 35 years of being a technical writer, every project has been different and exciting in new ways. Being a technical writer has taken me to places I had only dreamed about, and introduced me to some of the coolest and most accomplished people you could imagine. Something else I discovered about Technical Writing is that nearly EVERY type of project needs documentation of some type, so there is almost always a portal to the type of project you want to work on by knowing how to document that type of system. If you become a good technical writer that can adapt to new projects and enjoy meeting and working with new people, you will always be in demand. Don't worry about "hating" the work because you will always find something that interests you at some place that you've always wanted to work.
I could relate to your concerns and questions about a career in technical writing because that's how I felt in the beginning. Just like many others, I found my way into it almost by accident. I started my education in Electrical Engineering with the plan of becoming a digital designer (designing electrical circuits) and took an elective course titled "Technical Writing." Because my father worked for Westinghouse and was a designer of underwater sonar systems, he gave me some ideas as to what a technical writer could write about when I told him about the course. So, my first experience writing an actual technical "story" was the class assignment. So, I got an "A" on the assignment with the professor telling me "I didn't understand a thing you were writing about (because it was too technical for him), but it was well-written and interesting to read."
The next phase of my evolution came to me at a job at Ford Aerospace back in 1988 when I was asked by my boss if I had any interest in helping out with some technical documentation projects up in the front office of a rather large program. Of course, I thought back to my Technical Writing course in college, and thought I would give it a try. It turned out that I was deemed successful because I was the most technical person in the whole technical writing group. And, this is where I discovered that technical writing is not as difficult as I thought it would be, but was actually a LOT of fun for me because I started learning about some really interesting projects and systems. And, the more I learned about the systems, the more I wanted to understand about the next thing. And, I can tell you that after 35 years of being a technical writer, every project has been different and exciting in new ways. Being a technical writer has taken me to places I had only dreamed about, and introduced me to some of the coolest and most accomplished people you could imagine. Something else I discovered about Technical Writing is that nearly EVERY type of project needs documentation of some type, so there is almost always a portal to the type of project you want to work on by knowing how to document that type of system. If you become a good technical writer that can adapt to new projects and enjoy meeting and working with new people, you will always be in demand. Don't worry about "hating" the work because you will always find something that interests you at some place that you've always wanted to work.
Anelise Leishman
Technical Writer
3
Answers
Draper, Utah
Updated
Anelise’s Answer
I knew technical writing was right for me when I pursued an opportunity to transfer to a copywriting role early in my career. I wanted to try my hand at projects I perceived as more creative, and I went through the interview process feeling great about the idea of moving to marketing. But when the time came to complete the writing exercise, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was simply more interested in the work I was already doing. It gave me a sudden sense of clarity on what I love about technical writing: determining the best possible way to present relevant, concise, direct information to a specific audience.
When users/stakeholders don't know the jargon or technical concepts behind a subject, but they have a job to do and need certain information to do it, empowering them with that info can be really satisfying. When I tell someone I have an English degree, maybe 5 out of 10 times their response has something to do with hating English in school and preferring Math because there's only one right answer. I like technical writing because I get the best of both worlds. It provides constraints that I can be creative within. Even if there's only one right answer, there's definitely more than one way to present that answer, and finding the best way is a fun puzzle I get to solve.
In some ways, you won't know if it's right for you until you try it. And having one foot in the humanities and one foot in STEM gives you a huge advantage! But if you decide to go in a different direction, translating technical language to a non-technical audience is still an incredibly valuable skill. There will always be a need for good communicators, no matter the role.
When users/stakeholders don't know the jargon or technical concepts behind a subject, but they have a job to do and need certain information to do it, empowering them with that info can be really satisfying. When I tell someone I have an English degree, maybe 5 out of 10 times their response has something to do with hating English in school and preferring Math because there's only one right answer. I like technical writing because I get the best of both worlds. It provides constraints that I can be creative within. Even if there's only one right answer, there's definitely more than one way to present that answer, and finding the best way is a fun puzzle I get to solve.
In some ways, you won't know if it's right for you until you try it. And having one foot in the humanities and one foot in STEM gives you a huge advantage! But if you decide to go in a different direction, translating technical language to a non-technical audience is still an incredibly valuable skill. There will always be a need for good communicators, no matter the role.
Sandra Jensen Fritsche
Technical Writer
13
Answers
Gaston, OR
Updated
Sandra’s Answer
Kayla, that's a fantastic question!
I kind of stumbled into this field, and I absolutely love it. While I was working on my Manufacturing Engineering degree, my school started a certification program in Technical Writing. It was like a minor degree, and I thought, "Why not?" So, I took on five more advanced writing classes during my last two years.
I've always loved writing, and technical writing just clicks for me. I've been lucky to work with some big companies like Nike, Intel, GitHub, and Amazon Infosec. I've written all sorts of documents: software documentation, user manuals, training materials, maintenance manuals, assembly instructions, and configuration guides for hardware and software. It took trying out a few other careers before landing a Technical Writer position, but it was totally worth it.
Even if you're focusing on your science degree, adding technical writing courses can really help, no matter what career you choose. Having a technical background, especially in science, makes you a more versatile writer. The more you experience different environments and types of documentation, the better you'll become. Keep exploring and learning—it's a journey worth taking!
I kind of stumbled into this field, and I absolutely love it. While I was working on my Manufacturing Engineering degree, my school started a certification program in Technical Writing. It was like a minor degree, and I thought, "Why not?" So, I took on five more advanced writing classes during my last two years.
I've always loved writing, and technical writing just clicks for me. I've been lucky to work with some big companies like Nike, Intel, GitHub, and Amazon Infosec. I've written all sorts of documents: software documentation, user manuals, training materials, maintenance manuals, assembly instructions, and configuration guides for hardware and software. It took trying out a few other careers before landing a Technical Writer position, but it was totally worth it.
Even if you're focusing on your science degree, adding technical writing courses can really help, no matter what career you choose. Having a technical background, especially in science, makes you a more versatile writer. The more you experience different environments and types of documentation, the better you'll become. Keep exploring and learning—it's a journey worth taking!
Tami Sullivan
Content Developer
21
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Tami’s Answer
To be honest, I was intrigued by the chance of having such high pay potential as a mere English major. I know it seems sad, but I didn't have the drive to innovate or anything. I was just good at grammar and enjoyed studying various styles of writing, whether it be scientific, business, or technical. I'd never fit into the guise of being any type scientist, SEO, or engineer. I knew that my upper hand would be with using language structure to my advantage. Also, my liberal arts background as a whole set me apart, but enabled me to have more perspective when dealing with lay end users for UX/UI work and tutorials. The technology cannot wholly exclude the lowest of low users, so it's sometimes a job to make basic sense. There's never a wrong way to go when making technologies accessible.