Technical writing is an important skill in the tech world. It can be defined as a form of writing on a specific topic that requires guidance, instruction, or explanation. You can also say it is the art of providing detail-oriented instruction to help users understand a specific skill or product.
It is for this reason that I think that this might just be the best first project for anyone getting into tech. Hear me out. When venturing into the tech world especially as self-taught one, of the biggest challenges always has been being able to document your progress and judge one’s own level of understanding. They say if you cannot explain your dreams to a nine-year-old till they understand what they mean, then you need to re-evaluate them. I say if an article you wrote on something you think you understand, helps another person understand the topic based on your writing then you are on the right track.
In today’s article we are going to look at the steps you need to take and the various skills needed as a technical writer that are just as essential as a programmer.
Now as all things since the dawn of creation a system doesn’t hurt. So, let’s call the steps the seven days of creation, of a technical article.
PLAN(Light)
And you as the writer said “I am going to write an article.” Jokes aside this the most vital part of the whole process. Reason being it is supposed to be the guiding light, get it, in the all the other steps. As a programmer one skill that really helps in discipline and general motivation is always curiosity. As a writer you’re expected to feed the curiosity of your readers on the topic that you’re writing on. When you have a plan, the flow of ideas and the whole process becomes easy for you. If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail, the dollar man said.
As a developer for example a data scientist, after the data is presented to you for analysis planning is just as important and the steps are not that different.
- First you gather the necessary information you need and do your research.
- Then define your audience.
- Then define the goal of your documentation/content.
- Figure out the tools you need to get it done.
- Setup a timeline.
With that done you’ve already established a flow as you’ve narrowed everything down to specific aspects.
OVERVIEW (Sky)
Here now we have already decided on the subject matter and it’s time to create the sky, to have an overview of what exactly the content is going to be. As a programmer you can think of this as those little comments above blocks of code. These are the points you’re going to follow when writing the article.
STRUCTURE(Dry Land, Sea and plants)
Now the next thing you decide on how you structure the article. As I had mentioned again learning how to structure just as important as a skill in programming. How your code or in this case content is structured is important for renderability and ease in finding information.
A good structure should aim at preparing the audience for what they will read, as well as helping them navigate and scan content.
RESEARCH (Sun Moon and Stars)
Research is seeing what everyone else sees and thinking what nobody else thinks. You look at the sky and rethink the ball of fire you see; a clear night and you grab your telescope. Basically, it is approaching everything with a curious mind.
Research helps you keep up with the trend gain understand new concepts and as the writer gain even more insight on the chosen topic. In my opinion it is through this step that you really start getting the idea of how useful writing can be in catapulting your programming career. However, you must be able to discern helpful information and narrow your research to specific points. Lastly, your research may warrant that you interview current experts in that field or even take their course on the topic you are researching.
See you build up and gain even more skills as you aim to teach others.
DRAFT (Sea creatures and Birds)
A draft is where your writing comes in. It is important to have good writing skills which can be sharpened by engaging in more reading. It does not have to be perfect. You already have a structure that guides your content, so let your writing flow. Avoid any temptation to perfect every sentence you write; it can slow you down and can also hinder your collective thought from flying freely.
REVIEW (Land animals and Man)
Here grammar skills are necessary to present your content in an engaging, easily understandable precise and clear way.
For editing you can use tools like Grammarly which helps in identifying spelling and grammar mistakes.
Then you review your content again to ensure your content is clear to read, accurate, and well-edited. You can also share your content with a colleague or a fellow writer to review and get feedback.
And he looked and saw everything he had made was perfect.
PUBLISH(Rest)
Finally, you are good to go and publish. You have done your research, outlined, drafted your content and reviewed it. Where you post may depend on your company's platform if you work under one. Keep in mind that publishing is not the end; it's a cycle you must repeat if you want your content to stay updated.
Bonus
If you’ve gotten to this point, you’re probably a little bit more motivated to write so here is on last incentive. Writing can help boost your job opportunities. It helps you showcase your expertise and skills to potential clients and even build a personal brand. Technical writing improves networking, collaboration, and career advancement opportunities as well as improving one’s communication and collaboration skills.
Thank you for the read.
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