Comments on: What major/degree is required to become a Technical Writer? http://www.poewar.com/what-majordegree-is-required-to-become-a-technical-writer/ Writing Career Center Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:13:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: justelise http://www.poewar.com/what-majordegree-is-required-to-become-a-technical-writer/comment-page-1/#comment-222201 justelise Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:43:29 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=5039#comment-222201 I think the trend in technical writing is also leaning towards people who have real world technical experience over people who come from a purely non-technical (English, Communications, or Journalism) background. A lot of people leave technical support for technical writing, and are quite successful at it. I don't know that a Technical Writing degree is all that useful at the undergraduate level, and it may be in your best interests if your field is non-related, because it shows that you have a range of knowledge. There are some great MS/MA programs for Technical Writing or Technical Communication that may be worth it though. I think the trend in technical writing is also leaning towards people who have real world technical experience over people who come from a purely non-technical (English, Communications, or Journalism) background. A lot of people leave technical support for technical writing, and are quite successful at it.

I don’t know that a Technical Writing degree is all that useful at the undergraduate level, and it may be in your best interests if your field is non-related, because it shows that you have a range of knowledge. There are some great MS/MA programs for Technical Writing or Technical Communication that may be worth it though.

]]> By: Al http://www.poewar.com/what-majordegree-is-required-to-become-a-technical-writer/comment-page-1/#comment-222199 Al Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:01:07 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=5039#comment-222199 From what I have seen a writing degree is not really required for a technical writing job. The technical aspect of the job is important so that you really understand how the system works. Once you understand the system it is time to explain it and I don't think most classes do a very good job of showing how to do this. I have a degree in education which has been very beneficial because it has allowed me to understand how people perceive what I am trying to tell them. Other than basic grammar, the most useful bit of information I have learned is the old adage Tell them what you are going to teach them Teach them Tell them what you taught them This seems to cover it pretty well. From what I have seen a writing degree is not really required for a technical writing job. The technical aspect of the job is important so that you really understand how the system works. Once you understand the system it is time to explain it and I don’t think most classes do a very good job of showing how to do this. I have a degree in education which has been very beneficial because it has allowed me to understand how people perceive what I am trying to tell them. Other than basic grammar, the most useful bit of information I have learned is the old adage
Tell them what you are going to teach them
Teach them
Tell them what you taught them
This seems to cover it pretty well.

]]> By: Benjamin Hunting http://www.poewar.com/what-majordegree-is-required-to-become-a-technical-writer/comment-page-1/#comment-222196 Benjamin Hunting Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:36:49 +0000 http://www.poewar.com/?p=5039#comment-222196 Personally, I have encountered many technical writers with no degrees whatsoever, due to the fact that in the late 90's / early 2000's the IT industry was largely a meritocracy, with work experience trumping schooling. This meant that a portion of coders and designers took a path into the industry that had started in their bedrooms at an early age, where they wrote and designed their own software and decided to bypass college completely. Eventually, some of these techies discovered that they enjoyed documenting tech more than creating it, and they moved over into a writing role. Training, as you mentioned, is also a common transition for tech workers into tech writers. <abbr><em>Benjamin Huntings last blog post..<a href="http://benjaminhunting.com/?p=114" rel="nofollow">A Fond Farewell To Pontiac</a></abbr></em> Personally, I have encountered many technical writers with no degrees whatsoever, due to the fact that in the late 90’s / early 2000’s the IT industry was largely a meritocracy, with work experience trumping schooling. This meant that a portion of coders and designers took a path into the industry that had started in their bedrooms at an early age, where they wrote and designed their own software and decided to bypass college completely.

Eventually, some of these techies discovered that they enjoyed documenting tech more than creating it, and they moved over into a writing role. Training, as you mentioned, is also a common transition for tech workers into tech writers.

Benjamin Huntings last blog post..A Fond Farewell To Pontiac

]]>