It need not be reiterated that writing is akin to an art form, and like all other forms of art, it too has different facets and different genres to explore. Given the broad scope of writing, it is imperative that authors choose which genre they belong to. Most authors develop a strong penchant for one particular genre of writing and stick to it in the long run. Trust me… if an author can understand the chosen genre, then the readers will be able to resonate with the author even better.

In this article, I will try to highlight how I had my calling for this particular genre known as technical writing.  

Yesterday

I remember having read different kinds of books and authors during my formative years at school and college - short stories, poems, novels, plays, science books, and so on…I left nothing unread, well almost! Till date, what intrigues me most about some authors is the narration – great writers always choose writing as the perfect vehicle for self-ex-pression.

“Gosh…how can anyone write with such remarkable ease?” I used to wonder at that time. We still remember Shakespeare for his classics, don’t we? Can we let go of Mark Twain even today, and what about William Wordsworth for his poems? The heart of the matter is that choosing the right genre (and associating with it) is just so important…the sooner one realizes - the better.

Today

Technology has given birth to infinite jobs today, including new avenues for writers. The underlying question, however is, “Are we ready to take the plunge?” People who are entering into this profession of technical writing must be ready to learn about the intricacies of products, technologies, domains, or industry trends. Ideally a person who holds such a profile would be asked to document product manuals, research papers, courseware, web content, and so on. My gut feeling, when I meet other technical writers, is that technical writing is just limited to software documentation. In fact, for things to change we have to target new vistas and niche market segments like aerospace, medical, electronics, and manufacturing segments.  

Tomorrow

“Achievement is largely the product of steadily raising one's levels of aspiration and expectation.”

- Jack Nicklaus

Expectations, as we all know, can be never ending, more so, in the professional world. As Technical Writers, we need to gear up to face the expectations from the industry. With fierce competition and changing landscapes of this profession, we must be able to show our worth through professional documentation. A perfect blend of technological understanding and good writing skills is sufficient to show us the initial way. We also need the confidence to say ‘Yes’ to the challenges thrown in to us.

From my experience, I can vouch that if you are ready to accept challenges in life without worrying too much about the consequences, you can achieve a lot. I started my career as a faculty member at a leading computer-training institute and accidentally discovered technical writing as a full-time career option. My language skills and unnerving quest for technology were my only driving force when I entered this profession. In my last company, my willingness to say ‘Yes,’ helped me gain tremendous amount of respect among peers and supervisors. Even though I worked as an Instructional Designer in my last company, I willingly took up some extra work for myself. As a result of which, I achieved some personal milestones for my organization. I was the official trainer for a proprietary development tool. I also documented the Users Manual and the Installation Guide for that tool.

In the end, I would just like to say that my tryst with writing has been a pleasant one, an experience that I would always hold dear to my heart.

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