Technical author
Use your specialist knowledge to create content about products and systems.
Also known as: technical writer, technical copywriter, technical communicator
About the job
What it's like
Do you have an in-depth knowledge of a particular industry or product? If you're also a strong writer, you could make a fantastic technical author.
In this role, you'll use your specialist knowledge to create a range of written content. For example, those who have a background in engineering could produce installation instructions for a modular conveyor system – among many other things!
Technical authors work on all sorts of written products. As well as instruction manuals, you may write business guidelines, online help pages, technical specification sheets or induction training packages – and that's just some of the things you could produce.
Your tasks might include:
researching, writing and editing complex information to make it suitable for your target audience
producing new documents, like user guides and maintenance manuals
updating or rewriting existing material
testing what you've written with content users and refining it based on their feedback
creating multi-channel content for websites, e-learning platforms, social media channels and podcasts
working with translators to convert technical content into English from other languages
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators – learn about working as a technical author in this area
Association of British Science Writers – find out about careers as a science-based technical author
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- time management
- developing a plan
- attention to detail
- researching
- observation
- creative
- written communication
- verbal communication
- cooperating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Engineering Science
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English
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Physics
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Science
To become a technical author, you'll probably need a degree or an in-depth knowledge of the area you want to write about.
Some people move into this career straight after building expertise in an industry. Others have a background in communications and marketing, journalism or content design.
Let's explore the routes you can take to become a technical author.
Work
If you have knowledge or experience in a specific area, you can apply for jobs directly. Employers will expect you to have in-depth industry expertise and experience of writing and editing for a target audience.
You'll need to show you can research and interpret complex information, then communicate it clearly. You should also know about:
content planning and strategy
writing to a brand style or other guidelines
user behaviour – how people read and absorb information
project management
University
Some technical authors study a media or writing-based degree. To choose this route, you'll need industry-based qualifications or relevant experience.
You could also do a degree in the area you want to specialise in. If you go down this route, it's a good idea to attend an evening class or online courses that'll help you develop writing skills.
Use the My World of Work course search to find degrees.
Technical authors can be self-employed. It may be useful to learn more about setting up your own business.
As a technical author, you should keep a portfolio of work – you can use this to show off your skills to employers.
Sometimes, you'll receive criticism. You should have confidence in your writing so you can remain positive when dealing with negative feedback.
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