Many technical writers work remotely using VPN or communicate with their team via videotelephony platforms such as Skype or Zoom. Modern day technical writers work in a variety of contexts. The profession has continued to grow-according to O'Hara, the writing/editing profession, including technical writers, experienced a 22% increase in positions between the years 19. According to Malone, technical communicators/writers did so by creating professional organizations, cultivating a "specialized body of knowledge" for the profession, imposing ethical standards on technical communicators, initiating a conversation about certifying practitioners in the field, and working to accredit education programs in the field. After the war, the rise of new technology, such as the computer, allowed technical writers to work in other areas, producing "user manuals, quick reference guides, hardware installation manuals, and cheat sheets." During the time period after the war (1953-1961), technical communicators (including technical writers) became interested in "professionalizing" their field. During World War II, one of the most important characteristics for technical writers was their ability to follow stringent government specifications for documents. Like technical writers today, they conducted primary research and met with subject matter experts to ensure that their information was accurate. ![]() In the beginning of the profession, most technical writers worked in an office environment with a team of other writers. Army Medical Corps battled malaria in the jungles of Panama, the Chemical Corps pushed chemical advances in explosives and poisonous gases (and defenses against them), the Manhattan District of the Corps of Engineers literally made quantum leaps in the understanding of physics, and the Air Corps pioneered aviation design. War was the most important driver of scientific and technological advance. Other technical communicators and writers were involved in developing documentation for new technologies that were developed around this time. During the 1940s and 50s, technical communicators and writers were hired to produce documentation for the military, often including detailed instructions on new weaponry. In fact, the title "Technical Writer" wasn't added to the US Bureau of Labor Statistic's Occupational Employment Handbook until 2010. The job title emerged in the US during World War II, although it wasn't until 1951 that the first "Help Wanted: Technical Writer" ad was published. This makes them freaks in the world of writers, since almost all of the other ink-stained wretches in that world reveal a lot about themselves to the reader.Įngineers, scientists, and other professionals may also be involved in technical writing ( developmental editing, proofreading, etc.), but are more likely to employ professional technical writers to develop, edit and format material, and advise the best means of information delivery to their audiences.Īccording to the Society for Technical Communication (STC), the professions of technical communication and technical writing were first referenced around World War I, when technical documents became a necessity for military purposes. trained to reveal almost nothing about themselves in their writing. ![]() Kurt Vonnegut described technical writers as: In other words, technical writers take advanced technical concepts and communicate them as clearly, accurately, and comprehensively as possible to their intended audience, ensuring that the work is accessible to its users. ![]() A significant subset of the broader field of technical communication, technical writing involves communicating complex information to those who need it to accomplish some task or goal. Inherent in such a concise and deceptively simple definition is a whole range of skills and characteristics that address nearly every field of human endeavor at some level. Technical writing is sometimes defined as simplifying the complex. With the rise of e-learning, technical writers are increasingly becoming involved with creating online training material.Īccording to the Society for Technical Communication (STC): ![]() Example types of information include online help, manuals, white papers, design specifications, project plans, and software test plans. Technical writers research and create information through a variety of delivery media (electronic, printed, audio-visual, and even touch). Editor, Speechwriter, Screenwriter, Proofreader, Copy editorĪ technical writer is a professional information communicator whose task is to transfer information between two or more parties, through any medium that best facilitates the transfer and comprehension of the information.
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