The Tech Writer's Survival Guide


Book Description

The Tech Writing Game (Facts On File, 1992) offers a comprehensive introduction to the craft and business of technical writing.




The Insider's Guide to Technical Writing


Book Description

Every complex product needs to be explained to its users, and technical writers, also known as technical communicators, are the ones who do that job. A growing field, technical writing requires multiple skills, including an understanding of technology, writing ability, and great people skills. Whether you're thinking of becoming a technical writer, just starting out, or you've been working for a while and feel the need to take your skills to the next level, The Insider's Guide to Technical Writing can help you be a successful technical writer and build a satisfying career. Inside the Book Is This Job for Me? What does it take to be a technical writer? Building the Foundation: What skills and tools do you need to get started? The Best Laid Plans: How do you create a schedule that won’t make you go crazy? How do you manage different development processes, including Agile methodologies? On the Job: What does it take to walk into a job and be productive right away? The Tech Writer Toolkit: How do you create style guides, indexes, templates and layouts? How do you manage localization and translation and all the other non-writing parts of the job? I Love My Job: How do you handle the ups and downs of being a technical writer? Appendixes: References to websites, books, and other resources to keep you learning. Index




Technical Writing For Dummies


Book Description

A complete and friendly guide to technical writing! Let’s face it, a lot of technical documentation reads as if it had been translated into English from Venutian by a native speaker of gibberish. Which is annoying for you and expensive for the manufacturer who pays with alienated customers and soaring technical support costs. That’s why good technical writers are in such big demand worldwide. Now, Technical Writing For Dummies arms you with the skills you need to cash in on that demand. Whether you’re contemplating a career as a technical writer, or you just got tapped for a technical writing project, this friendly guide is your ticket to getting your tech writing skills up to snuff. It shows you step-by-step how to: Research and organize information for your documents Plan your project in a technical brief Fine-tune and polish your writing Work collaboratively with your reviewers Create great user manuals, awesome abstracts, and more Write first-rate electronic documentation Write computer- and Web-based training courses Discover how to write energized technical documents that have the impact you want on your readers. Wordsmith Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts covers all the bases, including: All about the red-hot market for technical writing and how to get work as a technical writer The ABCs of creating a strong technical document, including preparing a production schedule, brainstorming, outlining, drafting, editing, rewriting, testing, presentation, and more Types of technical documents, including user manuals, abstracts, spec sheets, evaluation forms and questionnaires, executive summaries, and presentations Writing for the Internet—covers doing research online, creating multimedia documents, developing computer-based training and Web-based training, and writing online help Combining examples, practical advice, and priceless insider tips on how to write whiz-bang technical documents, Technical Writing For Dummies is an indispensable resource for newcomers to technical writing and pros looking for new ideas to advance their careers.




The Non-Anal Technical Writer's Survival Guide


Book Description

It's a jungle out there...and in the cubicle. If you want to be a technical writer, or already are one, you have to learn how to survive in the field in order to move ahead. This work condenses 20 years of technical writing survival techniques and tips into an easy-to-read guide that will help you press that power switch with confidence. And it doesn't take an anal personality to do it. In fact, if you've got one, it's time to lose it. Survive...and thrive!




Technical Writing Process


Book Description

From the basics to advanced skills, the Technical Writing Process is your comprehensive guide to the art and science of crafting technical documentation. With eight core steps—Plan, Design, Write, Edit, Review, Translate, Publish, and Manage—this guide integrates both classical writing principles and the transformative potential of modern tools like AI. This book is more than a guide; it's an invitation to embrace the art of writing instructions with the mentorship of our experienced technical writers. Whether you’re a novice writer or an industry stalwart aiming to refine your technical communication skills, this book offers a blend of tried-and-true methods with the power of new-age tools. AI, as a significant element of the modern toolkit, receives special attention, helping readers stay ahead of the curve. Features Insights from industry experts around the world Real-world case studies and examples Comprehensive chapters on techniques and concepts Downloadable templates* to support each step in the process *For exclusive discounts on our premium content, use the coupon code in this book. About the Authors Our writing team, composed of top-notch technical writers, translation experts, and technical documentation managers from around the world, has pooled their experience and insights to help you succeed in your technical writing career. Praise for the First Edition “Every aspiring author / tech writer in college should have this book.” Steve Ballard, Manager, Enterprise Content Solutions “This is exactly the sort of guide I wish I had when I first started tech writing.” Sharon Witheriff, Technical Writer “The Technical Writing Process is a practical toolkit that demystifies the art of technical writing with useful templates to help you succeed quickly and smartly.” Richard Kidd, General Manager “Aspiring writers throughout the enterprise will find this to be a solid resource as they try to figure out how they should go about documenting something. It's logically laid out, not too heavy on jargon, and uses good diagrams and illustrations.” Duane Green, Sr. Director of Content Strategy Solutions “I think this pragmatic approach is excellent and fills a desperate need in the tech writing world. Many a point raised will have the older hands nodding sagely and the younger people remembering the advice when they first run into those issues.” Dr Charlotte Nash-Stewart, Engineer, Author, and Technical Writer “This is a well-written, comprehensive and practical guide for technical writers. It is packed full of great information and is very easy to read. I particularly like the ‘Insights,’ ‘What does that mean?’ and ‘Tips’ callouts which appear throughout the book.” Sue Geercke, Director Technical Communications “Technical Writing Process explores the essential elements any technical writer should consider when tackling their next assignment. The book systematically guides the reader through an intuitive, yet effective, methodology that spans everything from Planning to Publishing.’ Shay Withnell, Product Marketing Manager “Technical Writing Process is the professionalisation of the technical writing discipline. It rightly considers the holistic context for a technical document and provides a comprehensive cookbook for getting it right within an organisation. The insights, examples and templates are perfect and pragmatic. The definitive standard in technical writing.” Rami Banna, Product Lead “This book serves as a great reference to someone tasked with the technical writing aspect of a project. It would have saved me much heartache and a considerable amount of time if I had this information at the start of my project.” Keo Phetsaya, Technical Sales Manager




The Technical Writer's Handbook


Book Description

The Technical Writer's Handbook is by a practising scientist who screens hundreds of manuscripts each year. It is directed at scientists, engineers and others who want to improve their writing and communication. It teaches that technical writing, although it has its own special requirements, is no different from ordinary writing and should be written with short, clear sentences and in the active voice.




The Handbook of Technical Writing, Sixth Edition


Book Description

The definitive technical writing reference in an updated sixth edition. This comprehensive resource-alphabetically arranged for quick reference-provides guidance on the writing process, in-depth treatment of grammar and usage, abundant real-world examples of technical writing, and up-to-date coverage of technology.




How to Get Started as a Technical Writer


Book Description

In 2010, US News and World Report named technical writing one of the "50 Best Careers" in the world.Want a new (or better) career as a technical writer, but aren't sure where to begin? How to Get Started as a Technical Writer is a practical, personal, no-nonsense guide to preparing for and launching your career in technical writing. You won't find a lot of fluff or detailed instructions on how to write. Instead, you'll get over 80 pages of concise, real-world information on what it *really* takes to break into the field.Take advantage of the author's 20 years of industry experience to get answers to questions like:* What is a technical writer?* What does a typical day look like?* What are the "must have" skills for a technical writer?* Should I get more education?And, of course:* How do I get experience and land my first job?How to Get Started as a Technical Writer also includes an extensive list of useful Internet resources and a glossary of up-to-date technical writing terms.




Survivor's Guide to Technical Writing


Book Description

This text is a comprehensive, easy-to-use guide to key workplace communication skills. This text is targeted specifically to the career college student and is written and designed accordingly. Survivor's Guide to Technical Writing presents all of the essentials of workplace communication in an easy-to-read and easy-to-use format. The content is comprehensive and universal, and emphasizes the most practical and useful information rather than the theoretical. This text reflects the most current topics and issues in technical communication and includes many cases, activities, and features to engage students enrich learning. The text features the most current technology coverage and indicates Internet resources throughout.