Course Technical Writing

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Learning my ABC in Technical Writing

"Aaahh!! You're a technical writer, well that's great and you.....Do what??" a typical opening statement by many whether online, on a networking site, or in-person. Well, assume this, you are working on some screen and suddenly it freezes, you are in a dilemma, as you do not have an idea what NEXT!! And then it strikes... press F1. The HELP appears, this Help is no magic but a technical writer created it. Another one, you just sold your cell phone for a N95, imagine the features it comes loaded with. Alas!! You have no idea how to use the camera; well you can either call your best buddy or just read through the manual that came along the kit. Good examples?? Well, in a nut-shell, technical writers bridge gap between the software and the end-user.Don’t be too surprised when I tell you that even I was not aware about the existence of technical writers. My brother informed me about their existence and gave me a brief outline of what they do; they document application.

Initially, I was never attracted to this field because I thought I lacked qualities that a technical writer should posses; logical thinking (I am still working on it), communication skills, and understanding the application and the SME. Before, my plunge into technical writing, I have worked with BPOs and that experience helped me in enhancing my communication skills. As a technical writer, I believe it is not just your writing skills but also the way you communicate with people helps in shaping up your document.

You can easily become a millionaire working in a BPO, but ALAS! I was bored and wanted to switch. One day, I overheard a friend talking about technical writing courses and I suddenly decided to become one. I have heard many times “it is an easy job with high pay package”. WOW!!! Easy job and easy money, what else? That is when I decided to jump into the Ocean and hence marked my beginning by joining leading technical writing company.

I learnt about “The Truths about Technical Writing” the hard way. When I plunged into this I had no idea when I started to regret my decision. I could not understand where I was going wrong. I always thought, technical writer, instructs users to use an application, so I was doing that and still people were not happy. As the time passed, professional regrets started to sit in, I mean, I left my six-figure salary for a job where I have no clue what I am doing. I was not wanted and slowly became a joke. As the time passed, with lot of mentoring by my older brother, I started to gain control over my career. One year passed and my contract came to an end with the company, I was happy that I got the opportunity to work on projects, change views about some people about myself, and managed to stay in that company, find a job before the term got over, and became a certified technical writer.

This year, I celebrated my 2nd anniversary as a technical writer. With seeing lot of ups and downs in the beginning of my career, I could analyze my work clearly. I have been appreciated for my work not only in my previous company but also in companies where I was sent as a contractor. Every appreciation boosted confidence and motivation in me, no matter how small that appreciation was. It always made me feel, Yes, I am here and I am managing.

Although, I am still a baby in this field, but I have learnt a few things that could be a valuable lesson for anyone stepping into this field:

• It is not an easy “job” and the easy money comes when you complete that “job” smoothly.
• It is full of challenges that are a few times unpredictable. I don’t know about you, but structuring the document has always been a tough job for me.
• It would be advisable that before you get into this field, you have a clear idea about it. When you are here and you start regretting believe me it makes your life even tougher.
• When you are criticized about your work, take it positively even when it is coming from a junior.
• Ensure that you are given feedbacks about your performance on regular intervals. (My feedbacks came in late and it then added to my miseries).
• Never underestimate yourself when the whole world is against you and never suffer from over confidence assuming the world is under your feet.

Lastly, for the mentors, you can either break or make a person by the way you give a feedback. There is an old saying “You can lead the horse to the well, but you can't make him drink”. Modifying a bit “You can lead the horse to the well, and you can make him drink, only if you have the right leadership qualities”. A little patience and a little belief and you will be amused by the results you get.

Today, as I move ahead I carry all good memories and leave behind regrets that I had about my career. I never knew walking on thorns could be so much fun. Adventure begins when you step out of your usual life and get into something new. Looking back I realize that I have come a long way and yeah I still have miles to go before I sleep.

This is my definition of a technical writer “documenting tomorrow’s technology today”.

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course technical writing
course technical writing