Technical Writers are a rare breed. We are not just writers or editors; we also become knowledgeable in the areas that the documentation that comes through our hands discusses. You usually become a jack-of-all-trades in the project(s) you handle.
A little back-story: In my current 9-5, I am working as a Business Analyst (BA) for a few clients. What does a BA do? A BA acts as a liaison between the client and the technology group. He/she is responsible for requirements gathering and analysis. BA will also do testing of those requirements, and assures that the developed system adheres to the client’s needs. The business, functional, and non-functional requirements for a system are usually collected through interviews, workshops, and current documentation. I fell into this position at my old company after they were about to lay me off cause they were losing projects. One thing about being a Technical Writer is that you create and edit different documentation, so you become a quasi-expert in all areas of the system development lifecycle. I had written a proposal that helped them win a contract with IBM, so being that I was already the unofficial Requirements Analyst Lead for other projects; I became the Business Analyst for that project, which helped prolong my stay. You still have to create documentation (Business Requirements Document, Functional Requirements Document, use cases, etc.), but you also analyzing data and working along some very smart people.
If you are someone who loves knowledge, then being a Technical Writer is the way to go. When I say Technical Writer, I am also including proposal writing. You learn so much about how to strategize and manage projects when you write proposals. This is why it’s baffling when I come across a Technical Writer who doesn’t know much about the documentation that he/she is writing and editing. If you are just starting, then I can understand. However, if you have been doing it for years, then there is no excuse. How can you not suck in some of the knowledge that is floating around in these documents that you are tediously writing/editing? It doesn’t make any sense, and it shouldn’t. You are the ultimate gatekeeper of knowledge in the creation of systems. Your brain should become like a supercomputer getting enhanced every time you start a new technical document.
Don’t limit yourself. If you hate your current project, then start looking for a new one that can help you grow in your area of expertise. If you remain, and just continue to be mediocre, then ultimately it is your fault. I’m not saying that you will get a job today or tomorrow, but at least you will have a better chance getting a new one than just complaining about your current one while you sit there occupying space. Technical Writers, we are important, so remind people who sometimes forget that, and you might have to remind yourself as well.
If you see Technical Writers who are just creating and/or editing documents, but not actually reading and grasping what they are reading, please remind them that there is no point of them being who they are if they are not going to learn. As we learned when we were kids, learning is fundamental.
Tags: importance of technical writer, Technical writer, technical writing important, what is a technical writer
