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Opportunities
Technical writing offers a lucrative career
From the user manual that comes with your new plasma television to the complex tomes that record programme codes, documentation is something that needs to essentially accompany every marketable product or invention. The boom in information technology and its allied fields has spurred a lateral demand for people who can understand and explain complex technologies to a diverse target audience.
The job of a technical writer is to gather information, analyse the subject matter and audience sensibilities, and then conceptualise, design and create documents for varied purposes and target audiences.
While a technical writer is not usually a subject expert, his responsibility is to ensure that scientific jargon and technical information is translated and made understandable and comprehensible to the target audience, whoever they are.
Technical writers handle a number of functions including content development for manuals and websites, document conversion, preparation of user manuals, installation guides, training material, on-line tutorials for staff or developing end user help files.
They also format, edit and maintain documents prepared by technical staff or programmers.
A person with a passion for writing and a basic background in IT is an apt candidate for becoming a successful technical writer. Excellent written and spoken communication skills and logical thinking ability are a must.
On the technical front, excellent command over applications such as MS-Word, PowerPoint, Adobe framemaker, HTML and XML coding, graphic editors such as Snag IT and Photoshop and help authoring tools like Robohelp are useful for those trying to break into the technical writing field.
A high degree of familiarity with features such as style guides and templates, other writing tools and techniques, plus a fundamental knowledge of commonly used hardware, software and programming languages will give you a definite edge.
While some institutes offer specialised training on technical writing, experienced technical writers argue that most of the technical skills required can be honed while on the job.
Many orgnisations are willing to take on candidates who have excellent command over the language and a basic knowledge of software applications and train them up according to their requirements.
The starting salaries for technical writers begin between Rs 10,000 and Rs12,000 and can go up to Rs 35,000 or more with a couple of years of qualitative experience.
Vertical growth prospects are high, as there is a dearth of talent in this burgeoning field. Freelance opportunities also abound for those who are willing to strike it out on their own. Employment opportunities in the writing field are expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations until 2010, and technical writing, because of its prominent association with the IT sector, promises to open rewarding career opportunities for those with talent.
More information on opportunities and options available for technical writers can be obtained through the following national and international associations for technical writers in India.
Association for Computing Machinery/Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction is an international organisation which has chapters in many countries.
It has two chapters in India, the northern chapter is located in Mumbai while the southern chapter is located in Chennai ( http://www.chi-si.org).
The society for technical communications, with 14,000 members across the world and with chapters in Mumbai and Bangalore, is involved in providing opportunities for ongoing learning and professional networking for people in the technical communication field. (website www. stc.org)
TWIN - Technical Writers of India, founded in 1997 with a website ( http://www.twin-india.org ) and a mailing list of more than 1,000 members is a forum where technical writers from across the country get together to clarify doubts, share information and discuss issues relating to technical writing.
BINDU SRIDHAR
faqs@cnkonline.com
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