If you enjoy writing about technical subjects and have a knack for condensing complex information, a career in technical writing might be for you. As a growing field, the demand for technical writers is at an all-time high. If you’re interested in this career path and would like to know how to become a technical writer, keep reading.

In this guide, we’ll provide a crash course on becoming a great technical writer, followed by a brief job description of a technical writer (roles and responsibilities).

Furthermore, we’ll also lay down a roadmap that anyone can take to kick-start their career in technical writing. 

How to Become a Technical Writer

The road to becoming a technical writer isn’t as simple as merely completing a bachelor’s degree and seeking employment.

There are a few prerequisites that you must meet, skills you must acquire, and additional steps that you need to take along the way to build a successful career for yourself.

If you’re an aspiring technical writer, here’s a complete roadmap that will help you kick-start your dream career:

1. Invest in the Right Education and Training

First and foremost, you have to build a solid foundation for your career. This entails creating a solid academic background.

If it’s still not too late, consider getting a college degree in a technical field such as computer science, engineering, or physics. 

As a technical writer, if you’re not a subject matter expert, the chances are that the opinions you share independently won’t be considered credible.

Specializing in communication fields will also be worth it, but make sure you know about the technical side of the job.

Investing in the aforementioned formal education programs will certainly give you a massive competitive edge. However, that alone won’t guarantee success. 

For that reason, in addition to acquiring a college degree, you must also invest in different technical writing courses. 

These courses will provide you with the knowledge you need to enter this field. Furthermore, they’ll help strengthen your professional profile and grab the attention of recruiters.

2. Work on Developing the Right Skillsets

Skilled technical writers are in high demand. Specific courses and certifications will help you develop some of the required skills, but you’ll need to make some extra efforts for the rest.

Basic writing skills are prerequisites. But for recruiters, being just a decent writer isn’t good enough.

On top of written communication skills, a great technical writer should also have good command over verbal/spoken communication skills due to the day-to-day collaborations with others.

Furthermore, decent critical thinking, interpersonal, and good management skills are essential for the job.

In addition to the soft skills discussed above, there are a few in-demand technical skills that can go a long way in setting yourself up for success.

First and foremost, proficiency in popular software programs (such as Microsoft Office), work management tools (like Asana), and content management systems (such as WordPress) is required.

Web design and experience with primary programming languages like HTML, Javascript, and CSS aren’t mandatory but can help you stand out from your peers.

3. Start Consuming Technical Content

Contrary to popular belief, a writer doesn’t get better by just writing more. 

To polish your writing skills, reading is critical.

For that reason, you should start consuming any form of relevant technical content to your desired industry that you can get your hands on.

Look up real examples of technical writing on the internet. If you’re drawn towards specific technical content (such as user manuals, white papers, business plans, and more), search for their examples.

Looking at the actual content and taking inspiration from the experts will help you better understand the job.

4. Start Writing (Even if it Doesn’t Pay)

As you gain the relevant credentials, develop skillsets, and garner inspiration, you need to start applying everything.

You may apply for an internship to gain some work experience if you’re starting.

However, you don’t necessarily have to gain practical hands-on experience in a professional setting. You should also start developing different content assets as a hobby to polish your skills, show them to a willing expert, and get feedback. Or better yet, look up tech founders on LinkedIn and volunteer to develop content for them (they might even hire you on a full-time basis if they like your work).

You can also select the best content and build an online portfolio to show your skills to potential recruiters.

5. Apply for Open Technical Writing Jobs

All that’s left to do is apply for technical writing gigs.

Since the job market for technical writers is so competitive, newcomers don’t fare well as freelance writers. 

Unless you’re lucky to find an independent project, the best way would be to apply for technical writer jobs.

From new tech startups to well-known giants such as Microsoft, Google, and Apple advertise new jobs now and then. 

Put together a solid technical writer resume, set up solid profiles on Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor platforms, and set up alerts for any open positions that are remote or near you.