What is technical writing? This is a common question because most people don't understand the term. It's confusing really, technical can cover a plethora of things so to just say that you are a technical writer can make people stop and scratch their heads. In simple terms technical writing is any form of writing style that covers technical communications such as computer hardware and software, aerospace, robotics, chemistry or biotechnology. A technical writer must have a good handle on the jargon that is used in these fields to be able to break it down for someone who is not so good at understanding it.
The key to being good at technical writing is to be able to communicate without being condescending. Nothing can turn a customer off quicker than to read a piece and feel like they are being talked down to, when in actuality nothing could be further from the truth. The best technical writers can break it down in easy to understand terms without making it sound that way.
If your company specializes in technical items then you need your customers to know that you know your stuff. Your customers are going to come to you with questions on how things work together. You must be the guru of your field. You need a writer that can show the virtual world that you know your stuff, giving you time to do your job rather than write copy about it.
A technical writing expert can help you navigate the murky waters of showing off your knowledge and making you sound too much like a know-it-all. You want your customers to come to your site not stay away from it because of something they read.
Technical writing can break down the jargon that you’ve come accustom to using without even thinking. This simplified way of speaking and communicating (technical writing) to your customers will be what brings them in to your virtual store. Your products and knowledge will keep them there.
If your company specializes in anything in a technical field it really helps to have someone who can handle technical writings. The technical slang can be confusing to the lay person who is interested in investing in one of your products and being able to break it down in to simpler terms, without sounding like the reader is being talked down to, is important.
Contact me at dswritingpad@cox.net to find out how my years of Technical Writing can help your business.
