What are careers in technical writing?

Engineering technical writer, computer software technical writer, and medical technical writer are careers in technical writing. Here are the descriptions of each of these careers in technical writing:

• Engineering technical writer

  Technical writers that specialize in engineering may write textbooks, internal company memos, product manuals, project proposals, and other technical texts.

  They also utilize style guides, like the MLA Handbook, The Chicago Manual of Style, The Associated Press Stylebook, APA Style, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) style. IEEE is the most commonly used style in technical documents, especially in the engineering industry, although different companies and clients have their own requirements.

  Most have at least a bachelor's degree, if not a master's degree, in the form of engineering. Many also start their careers as engineers and then become technical writers of engineering.

• Computer software technical writer

  These professional writers do many of the same things as technical engineering writers except in the realm of computer software. They may write manuals for computer programmers or instruction manuals for consumers who purchase the software. They also might work in other areas of media, such as writing for scientific journals or magazines.

  They often have bachelor's or advanced degrees in software engineering, computer science, or another related field. These technical writers often also have certifications in specialized areas of computer software engineering, coding, and programming.

• Medical technical writer

  Medical technical writers provide an array of writing services in the healthcare industry. They may write medical brochures, medical school texts, pharmaceutical documents, and sales pitches as well as advertisements. They also may write for medical journals or magazines.

  They may also write highly technical manuals for operating and installing medical equipment, as well as more simplistic directions for laymen patients on how to take prescribed medications or use at-home medical machines.

  These technical writers often need advanced education in medical studies to have a strong command of knowledge in the healthcare industry.