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Training for Technical Writers
So you wanna be a tech writer? (We're not sure of the origin of that phrase, which seems to have started as "...a rock star." Whatever; it works here, too.) A wise manager we once knew put it this way: it's easier to train a writer on technical material than to teach a technical person how to write. Wise, indeed (it got our favorite tech writer hired the first time!), though we would modify it just a bit: it's easier to train a writer with technical aptitude. That is, if your only current qualification is that you know Word, you have a long way to go.
Technical aptitude and training
How do you know if you have technical aptitude? If you want to document computer software, for instance, can you follow an algorithm, tracing the logic from branch to branch? That is, are you comfortable "under the hood," understanding the mechanical explanation of the "engine"? Or are you a "driver" limited to a knowledge of what the keys and buttons do? If you're installing a program on your computer, can you make necessary updates to an .ini file? When you work on your web site, can you do at least some of the touch-up work directly in HTML instead of a WYSIWYG editor?
There are probably other, perhaps better, ways of determining aptitude, including no doubt expensive aptitude tests. You can also go to four years of university and get a degree in technical writing (which, to us, has always seemed like getting a degree in basket-weaving). For that matter, you can get a doctorate. (Sheesh; we thought dissertations were supposed to be original contributions to knowledge.) You can also sign up for various online and in-person courses that will certify you as something-or-other.
But we don't believe that's how good tech writers get trained. Technical communication, to use the fancy phrase, isn't something you can teach much. Some people have the ability, like translators, to take a complex concept in one "language" and convey it to a group of people who don't speak that "language" - whether it is an actual language, or for example a technical specification that needs to be "translated" into a user manual. Others just don't.
So...to answer the question: how do you get training as a tech writer? You need two basic areas of knowledge: technical knowledge in the discipline or disciplines you work in, and writing knowledge so that you communicate your technical knowledge clearly. You don't need the same level of technical knowledge as the engineers you work with, but you need enough to intelligently follow their explanations, work things out on your own, and get their verification of your understanding.
Technical knowledge
To acquire or enrich your technical knowledge, take formal courses in your discipline, or learn on your own. For example, in a software context, you could take some programming courses, preferably but not necessarily in the languages that your company's products are written in, or you could buy a book and learn on your own. Join your industry association and read the journals. Even if you don't understand everything in them, you will gain a familiarity over time.
Writing knowledge
Good writing is good writing. You should already have that. But you can always improve your knowledge of writing tools and techniques. You should be the one telling your company what tools you need to get the job done in the best way for the company. You should stay current by joining lists, reading professional journals, and networking with other tech writers. (See our Links for Technical Writers page for recommendations.)
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Need tech writers? Visit Atarim, LLC, providers of outsourced technical writing services.
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