If you are someone with a knack for understanding complex technical topics and writing skills, then becoming a technical writer would be a smart career choice for you. Becoming a technical writer would require you to have the urge to help people understand abstruse points and data better. If you think you are up for that, let's get into how you can become one.

What is technical content writing?

Technical content writing requires researching complex topics, data, and terms and writing them in such a way that is easily understandable for people, even for people who are not from the industry. This is different from technical writing which requires a writer to create user manuals, documentation, instruction guides, etc. A technical content writer on the other hand produces content in the form of blogs, eBooks, articles, product reviews, white papers, etc. A technical content writer also needs to break down complex technical details and produce the content in an easy-to-understand manner, free from any unnecessary jargon.

What are the top skills you need to become a technical content writer?

Becoming a technical content writer requires you to have some special skills including -

i) Well-founded writing skills

This rule applies not just to a technical content writer, but to anyone who aspires to become a writer of any kind. To develop this skill, you can take courses or any degree focused on language and writing along with online writing classes to expand your horizons and knowledge. To become a technical content writer, you need to have perfect grammar along with the skill of storytelling, writing attractive headlines, influencing the reader to take action, and keeping them engaged.

ii) Researching complex technical topics

Poor research is the reason behind poor content which wastes both your editor’s and the reader’s time. So to become a successful technical content writer, you need to develop good research skills which is the best way to find important information and facts. At the same time, you need to be able to find proper resourcing and for that, it is better to stick to top results on Google.

iii) Associating with industry experts

Researching on Google is important, but it is more important to craft original, in-depth content. For this, you need to engage and interact with industry experts who can be security analysts, researchers, or engineers. Going this far will also require communication expertise and time.

How can you become a technical content writer without any experience?

Although it might help, you don't necessarily need to have a formal education to work and achieve success in this field. Without any formal education, you can start pursuing entry-level jobs in technical content writing. If you want to become a technical content writer and want to start without any prior experience, then the first step is to learn the skill and practice. Now how do you do that? Consider starting your own blog, writing for nonprofits, or doing an unpaid internship. In this period, you need to keep in mind that you cannot expect to earn anything since you don't have the credentials yet.

In the meantime, it is time to upskill yourself, contact and network with other writers in the same field, prepare a resume and craft a portfolio that will showcase all of your best works. After you feel like you have gathered enough content for a decent portfolio, you can start applying for jobs. Now the pay will not be great in the beginning, but to become your best in the field, you need to reinvest a portion of what you are earning in writing courses. It is just a continuous game of upskilling yourself. The journey requires constant upgradation of yourself and your writing skills which will allow you to stand out among your competitors. This is the only way to charge premium fees and work with the best companies in the future.

How can you break into technical writing?

Now that you are familiar with all the essential details of tech content writing, it is time to make a decision. You need to decide how you want to operate in your career; do you want to start as a freelancer, a contractor, or a full-time employee? Both these career paths require different things so you need to decide before you forward with any of them.

When it comes to becoming a freelance technical content writer, you probably would not require any blinding degree or qualification in journalism or any specific experience in the tech sector. However, if you have any degree or experience, it is always a plus. All you need to have is the skills that are mentioned in the former section along with a decent portfolio.

On the other hand, when it comes to becoming a full-time technical content writer in a company, you would need to meet the company's requirements. Recruiters mostly look for someone with a proper degree, preferably a bachelor's degree in English, journalism, or any other communication-related subject. On top of that, they might also consider your previous experience in the technology industry. This includes industries like engineering, medicine, or computer science.

No matter which path you decide to take, make sure you have a portfolio that features your best work, showing your skills and ability.

Now if you want to begin your journey as a tech content creator, and are thinking of getting a formal education, here are some best-rated courses for you -

●        Storytelling and influencing: Communicate with impact - Macquarie University

●        Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialization - University of California, Davis

●        Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization - University of Michigan

What can you do to get good clients?

Network with professionals -

One of the best ways to land a good client list or get a job at a reputed firm is to network with professionals from the industry. For this, you can join seminars, or use social media accounts like Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Create a tech portfolio -

You can start building your portfolio for a technical content writer position today and the easiest way to do that is by starting a blog on Medium. It is easy and free, and this will give a message to the recruiters that you know how to craft content for an online audience.

Apply for jobs -

After you build a portfolio, you can start searching for jobs both online and offline. Different job portals like Indeed, LinkedIn, Nexxt, Flexjobs, Monster, and Career Builder are some of the greatest places where you can start your search.

Just like every other industry, breaking through this industry as a technical content creator will require your constant effort and patience along with time investment. So start as soon as possible.