Technical Writing FAQ
So you wan’t to become a Technical Writer?
You are probably considering a course in Technical Writing for one of the following reasons:
1. You already have a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in English and want to change your career
2. You are a Software Developer or a Software Tester with a flair for writing and want to get your feet wet in the world of Technical Writing as it may bring additional income for you
3. You are a Software Developer or Software Tester and you are sick of running to your Technical Writer for documentation, be that a User Manual (aka User’s Manual or User guide) for your application or product.
4. Someone told you about the potential and demand of the Technical Writing or the Technical Communication industry
Well, you have arrived at just the right place. This FAQ will address most of the unanswered questions you have about Technical Writing and the courses offered here at learntechwritingfast.com
If you have come here directly you may also want to check out the What is Technical Writing page to get an intro to and a heads-up on Technical Writing.
Your Questions
Do I need to have a good command of the English language to become a Technical Writer?
“No“. To further explain the answer to this question, take a moment to open your T.V manual or your DVD Player’s manual and spend a few minutes reading the instructions there. Were they written in impeccable English? Just like your products, chances are, your manuals were also written in China, Taiwan or Korea where English is not the first language of the people of these countries. No wonder these manuals suck real bad. In fact you are better off just playing around with your appliances to learn how to use them (which is not actually being advised) rather than learning from these manuals. It’s a crying shame that great products actually come with such poorly written manuals. So bottom line – you don’t need to be a novelist or writer to become a Technical Writer. You also don’t need a degree or a masters in English. Technical Writing is possible with High School English. That saying, if you ARE good at English, so much the better. Then there are other things such as paying attention to the functionalities of an application and these and other things will be taught by me via the lessons of the course.
I am a developer with good English speaking and writing skills. Will I be able to learn to create good User Guides and User's Manuals for my apps?
Absolutely! You guys have the biggest advantage in becoming excellent Technical Writers simply because you know the functionality of the software applications (the ones that you write or ones that others develop) better than the average Technical Writer who usually comes from a non-software or programming background. Software Testers with decent English skills are the other set of people who can become good Technical Writers as far as User Assistance (User Guides and User’s Manuals) are concerned. Most of today’s Technical Writers do not come from a Software developer, Software testing or an Engineering background.
What are the job prospects for a Technical Writer and how much does a Technical Writer make?
Check out the Technical Writer Jobs and Technical Writer Salary page for this.
Can you tell me what deliverables a Technical Writer delivers and can you show me some sample work?
Sure. Check out this page for what deliverables a Technical Writer delivers. The Technical Writer’s deliverables
And check this page for samples and examples of Technical Writing. Technical Writing Examples and Samples
What will I learn in the courses?
You will learn what Technical Writing is all about. Plus on the journey to become a Technical Writer, you will also learn -How to take various types of screen captures (screenshots) and how to edit them, add callouts, pointers and much more for your Technical Writing work. You will also learn Technical Writing Grammar and Style (yes, just for Technical Writing only).
You will learn how to create the following: Online Help (Webhelp / NetHelp), HTML help, Creating .pdf versions of User Guides and User’s Manauls, Creating Print Manuals. Using these skills you will also be able to create e-books including those that run on Kindle, create EPUB version of the help (that runs on the iPad, Smartphones)
Note: Under each of these chapters there are additional skills and loads of tips and tricks that you will also learn. You will also learn how to keep your Technical Writing
work fun and interesting, how to absolutely win over your client and even a tiny peek into freelancing.
If I am unsatisfied with the course, do you offer a refund?
The course on Skillshare comes with a free 30 day trial. You can discontinue if you aren’t satisfied during the trial period too. There’s nothing for you to lose.
What Software and Hardware do I need to do this course?
As the course is offered via the internet it is accessible by both Mac and Windows users.However the current course teaches the Help Athoring Tool (HAT) Help and Manual that runs on only on Windows 7 and later. The following are mandatory for your learning.
A computer, either a desktop or a laptop running Windows 7 or later with an internet Browser such as Internet Explorer/Bing, FireFox or Google Chrome. Ensure that you have a most recent version if not the latest version of these browsers. The course is viewable on Macs, mobile devices (such as smartphones) and tablets too. However you will still need a laptop or computer to install, use and learn the Help Authoring Tool software. For tablets (Appled iPad and Android based Tablets) ensure you have a decently wide screen for optimal learning. The smaller the screen (as in mobile phones) the greater will be the difficultly in learning. You must have broadband access to the Internet and preferably one with decent speeds. You will also need to download the trial version of Help + Manual that is taught in the course. How to obtain a free trial download is explained in the course.
How is the course delivered?
The course is delivered on one of today’s hottest and most user friendly platforms, Skillshare. The course is delivered via 1080p HD videos. Text and .pdf documents also augment the course wherever they are needed. There are assignments to be completed leading to a project. Skillshare also has a 30 day free tial which means you could do this course Free for 30 days! The course is in English and the videos have subtitles too.
Can I learn the course on my tab or smartphone?
Yes. Skillshare’s courses can all be learnt on the tab and smartphone. However my recommendation would be to use a regular desktop or laptop so that you may get the optimal viewing, listening and learning experience. Also you will need to install the HAT (Help Authoring Tool) software on your laptop or desktop for learning the same.
How long is a course and how soon can I complete a course?
Once you have enrolled, the course is open for an indefinite period of time. It is up to you to complete it soon or as leisurely as you prefer. Note that if you are using free trial software such as Help + Manual, the software is good for only 30 days. Also my goal is to make you a technical writer quick and 30 days to become a Technical Writer is an
achievable target.
There are other HATs (Help Authoring Tools) in the market and more popular ones but you teach Help + Manual, is that good enough?
Learning one HAT (Help Authoring Tool) makes it comfortable to learn other HATs too though there will be differences, but these can be learnt easily. Help + Manual is a powerful HAT and one that is easy to learn and master. Most important is the fact that Help + Manual comes with its own image capturing and editing software. For other HATs you will need to purchase the image capturing and editing software separately.
You mentioned about Technical Writers who write for electronic devices, health tonic etc., Does this course cover those areas too?
No. My focus is on software documentation. However you may use a HAT to create a user manual for a DVD player or a ready reckoner for a cough syrup. You just need to make sure you get related images for the device (as in electronics) from a person who has made them using CAD or CAM software or using regular photographs using digital cameras and the insert them into the help project. The appropriate HAT software for these products will be Adobe’s Framemaker though it is possible to generate these help files using HATs as Help & Manual and similar ones such as Robohelp, Flare etc., also.
Do you provide support besides the lessons?
At Skiillshare‘s site on the Discussion page you will be able to contact me. You’ll also get to read and share the inputs from other students too. You will also be able to view the projects done by other students and you will be able to post your project online too.
Do you offer personalized coaching via Skype or Zoom or other online methods?
Yes, I do and I have taught students via Zoom. Please contact me and we’ll go over the details.
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