Technical Writing: Are We Communicating? Skills Beyond Writing That You Need to Succeed. A Guest Blog by Judy Holt

If, like me, you attended BCIT’s recent technical writing alumni event, I’m sure you also enjoyed the interesting presentations on this topic and the thought-provoking debates that followed.

Our panelists were
Jennifer Zickerman, Doc Wrangler at Mozilla Messaging
James Hill, Technical Writer for Polycom Inc
Thu Huynh, Technical Writer & Trainer for Webtech Wireless and PortaOne
Olga Kostiouchina, Technical Writer for McKesson Corp
moderated by
Ted Rutledge, Senior Applications Trainer & Analyst for Vancouver Coastal Health.

The panelists suggested that technical communication skills include the abilities to work with people and retrieve information from them, to analyze and structure information, to take charge and manage projects, and to advocate for both users and clients.

This summary—while conveniently concise—is obviously simplistic, because each item in the list represents an entire discipline. I found a useful description of the different components of a technical communicator’s role on the website for the Technical Communicators Association of New Zealand.

The article also does a great job of cataloguing the key skills and knowledge, and of giving useful tips on how to acquire them.

Considering the range and diversity of skills required, I wonder what level of specialization can realistically be achieved in each skill. As technical communicators, are we, perhaps, jacks of all trades and masters of none?

What is the Hardest Part of Writing? A Guest Blog by Judy Holt, Technical Writer

Which stage in the writing process challenges you most? Is it drafting? Revising? Editing? According to Richard Nordquist, for many of us the hardest part is getting started. We want to write, or need to write, but the ideas and words won’t flow. As I start out on my technical writing career, I’m apprehensive about being struck down by writer’s block for the first time. To prepare myself for the inevitable, I went online and discovered a plethora of strategies for overcoming writer’s block. Many web sites, such as Grammar Girl and Working Writers, recommend getting something, anything, down on paper, and worrying about improving it later. This guidance is emphasized by Margaret Atwood’s quote: "If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word." A more diagnostic strategy is recommended by Purdue Online Writing Lab, which identifies specific symptoms of writer’s block and suggests practical cures. But I found most reassurance in a Copyblogger post that adopts a novel, head-on approach to the issue. Instead of viewing writer’s block as a problem, it presents it as an opportunity—your secret weapon for becoming a better and more resilient writer. With this positive advice in my literary arsenal, I’m ready to not only face the block, but to use it to boost my writing skills and confidence.