Technical writing is combining the power of writing and coding. It is explaining complex stuff and breaking them down for your target to understand.
If you can explain to an old person who has never used a phone how to use tiktok, then you have a superpower.
There are various types of technical writing, like explaining how to use products. In this article, we will discuss about the one of explaining tutorials and how-to guides.
What you need to get started
You can't explain something you do not know. Technical writers do better when they know how to code. Pick a coding language to get started. Never try to be jack of all trades.
This can be anything from Python, Java, Javascript, C, C++ and others. Do a thorough research to know which one is best for you.
Knowing the end goal of what you want to achieve eases the research. Javascript is good for front-end development while python does a better job for back-end development, and data analysis.
You should also learn HTML and CSS. These are the skeleton of any website. You do not need a lot of gear to get started. Just a laptop and access to the internet.
There are a lot of resources online to get you started. Freecodecamp is one of the site that offers free learning.
You should also have some writing skills. You should be able to break down the technical jargon into simple language. There are numerous resources to help you. Check out a course by google, https://developers.google.com/tech-writing . There are numerous books too that talk about how to go about technical writing.
Build a portfolio
You have to put your work out there. Building a portfolio is a great way to showcase your work to potential recruiters. It is also a chance for you to hone your writing skills.
Sites that are great for showcasing your work are:
There are other many popular sites. The above sites are technical writer-friendly. Some people prefer to build an online brand of themselves, displaying what they have been up to. They can achieve this by either twitter or linkedin, or both.
You never know where your next employer might be. Online branding is important.
