What
is Technical Writing?
Simply put, Technical Writing is
writing technical information. The work "technical"
is relative though. Satellite Communication could be
technical and Open Heart Surgery can also be technical.
The most common form of technical
literature is User Manuals that come with your TV, Music
System of Mobile Phone. These are consumer items. There
are many industrial products which are far more complicated
to use. For example, a Wireless Communication System
or a Banking Software.
Why
is it important?
Do you know that the "Total amount
of information available in the world doubles every
7 years? And that more than half of that information
becomes obsolete in about 5 years?"
In next seven years, the world
will generate equal amount of information as is available
today traceable since the beginning of mankind (a few
lack years!). And it will continue to grow at that proportion.
Any company, who wants to grow,
should be capable of processing the increasing quantum
of information available and then use it. Companies
will need individuals who will manage the information
or discard it.
What
do Technical Writers do?
Technical Writers design and write
the User Guides, Online Help (for computer software),
training material for various products. This basically
is the product-related information.
Where
do Technical Writers get jobs?
Technical writers are employed
in a wide spectrum of industries. They are identified
with different names such as
- Technical
Writer
- Multimedia
Content Developer
-
Web Content Developer
- Copywriter
- Instructional
Designer
- Courseware
Developer
What
do need to become a successful Technical Writer?
You should
-
have good command over English language and Grammar
-
love writing § like to learn about new technologies
-
like to talk to people § be a fast learner
-
be good at self-learning
Ask
yourself "Do I really, really, love to write?" Because,
writing good English will become a part of your life
after you become technical writer. On an average, you
could be writing more than 100 pages of hard core technical
stuff every month. Just a flair for writing may not
be enough.
What
are the career prospects of a Technical Writer?
Like any other field, making a
mark in your field depends on how hard you work and
the opportunity you get. A Technical Writer (Communicator)
can become
- Senior
Technical Communicator after 2-3 years of experience
-
Writing Team Leader (Manager) after 5 years of experience
- Director
of Technical Communications after 10 plus years of
experience
Where
can I get training in Technical Writing?
There are many universities abroad,
which offer courses Post Graduate in Technical Communication.
Unfortunately, such courses are not available in India.
Some of these courses can be taken online but they are
pretty expensive! Technical Writing is being taught
as one paper in some mass communication courses, but
its scope is limited.
Some Computer Software Companies have in-house training
programs for their teams of technical writers. Some
companies in India, operated by experienced professionals
in this field offer courses in Technical Writing. These
are autonomous courses.
What
salaries do Technical Writers get?
Technical Writing is a very creative
field. If you are dedicated and if you get the right
opportunities, it will push you beyond your limits and
you can learn a lot. I wonder if any other job gives
an opportunity to learn such varied fields. The job
satisfaction is very high. Experienced technical writers
in India get very good packages with trips abroad.
At entry level the salary can vary from Rs. 25,000/-
to Rs. 90,000/- per year. After about 2 years of experience
if you have proved yourself, you can get Rs. 2,00,000/-
plus per year.
How
many Technical Writers does India have?
Unfortunately the Government or
other agencies are not keep track of this figure. The
main reason is that this career option is becoming popular
only in last 2-3 years. An educated guess about the
numbers is about 1500 plus.
Makarand Pandit
MD Technowrites PVT LTD
