6 posts tagged with "tech_writing"

I’ve sat down to write this article so many times already.

Each time, I’d make a cup of tea, settle into my chair, and try to shape this story into something engaging. But every attempt felt... incomplete. Like something was missing. Why? Because this isn’t just a story—it’s my personal experience. And that made it hard to fully open up. I kept falling into the same trap: sharing only the polished facts and offering some reassuring summary.

But life doesn’t work like that, does it?

So, if you’re reading this, it means I finally found the courage to share what’s truly on my mind—messy, raw, and honest. These are the lessons I’ve learned this year as a professional tech writer. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll find something here that resonates with you too.

This topic isn’t the easiest to write about—because we’re not living in an ideal world. Real-life workplaces often involve competing priorities, tight deadlines, and differing views on the value of documentation. But that’s exactly why advocating for documentation is so important.

But don't worry, this isn’t a philosophical piece. I want to be clear that this article won’t solve the problem in every scenario. The work of a tech writer is too diverse for a one-size-fits-all solution. But trying is what really makes a difference. Advocacy for documentation starts with small steps, persistence, and a willingness to champion its value—even when it feels like an uphill battle. If you’re reading this and considering how to embrace documentation efforts in your role, you’re already on the right track. Thank you for being interested.🤗

As a passionate musician, I love composing music from time to time. It's not always great, but this is what really drives my creativity and inspires my working life.

So I took a moment to reflect on how creating music is, in some cases, very much like creating tech documentation.

Got skeptical? Let me show you how these two seemingly different worlds intersect 🤗

I was assigned to a new project and felt an immediate rush of excitement and pressure. It was my chance to create something truly impactful—documentation that would not only be useful but interesting. The need for a tech writer was clear, and I was expected to set up all the processes from scratch. I was waiting for the day 1, hoping to pop in and make it all nice and organized.

But then, Day 1 hit me. And it hit hard…

Technical writers often write about topics they don’t deeply understand. This is both a plus and a challenging curse of our job.

A plus, because it allows us to get acquainted with a multitude of new concepts, try out innovative products, and explore the tech world extensively. Being there when new things in IT are being created — that's what I personally love the most about tech writing.

And why the curse? It's because this approach involves a constant feeling of uncertainty and the nagging realization that "I don't understand anything at all, omg!".

You always need to ask a lot of questions, place yourself in the learner's mindset, and continuously feel the pressure to keep up and figure everything out. And deadlines often demand that you do this really quickly.

I occasionally dip my toes into the interview pool. For me, it’s like a temperature check for the industry - assessing what people are searching for, spotting the shifting tides of the market, and getting a peek into how the collective mindset around technical writing is evolving.

So, Recently, during an interview, I was hit with this question: “How can technical writers create accurate documentation if they didn’t develop the product themselves?”

This question struck a chord with me because it touches on a core aspect of our craft. But if you peel back the layers, it really asks, “What makes a great technical writer?”

With that in mind, I'd like to share some of my own insights on the topic.