How to be a technical writer - Courses & Tutorials

Article: poewar.com/2024/04/17/how-to-...
Hi, I'm John Hewitt. I've been a technical writer for thirty years. For the past four years, I've been the content strategist for Quicken, the leader in personal finance software.
One of the keys to my long career is that I've always worked to develop my skills as a technical writer, especially during the slow times, such as the tech crash in the early two thousands and the great recession, both of which left me out of work for extended periods. During those times, I worked on my skills to improve my ability and marketability as a technical writer. When things are going well in your career, it's easy to forget skill building. Still, you should take time for it, even during the good times and especially during the bad times. There are many ways to do this.
Today, I'm talking about taking online or in-person courses and tutorials in technical communication and related fields.
Taking courses in technical communication and other key skill sets is an effective way for aspiring and current technical writers to progress. In-person classes are great, but sometimes hard to find and very much dependent on your location. Still, they can be valuable. Check with your local colleges.
During the tech crash, I went back to school. I got my master's degree and a professional writing certificate from Northern Arizona University. It was mostly online, but I did have some in-person classes. Getting a graduate degree was valuable but expensive. You should look at community colleges and local seminars or groups if you can't pony up university money. If you have trouble finding anything, check with your local library. They are usually more on top of learning than any place I know.
Online courses offer the flexibility to learn at your own pace and the convenience of accessing comprehensive resources anywhere in the world. Whether you're looking to understand the fundamentals of technical writing, master a specific documentation tool, or dive into topics like information architecture and user experience writing, there's likely an online course that meets your needs.
Several well-established platforms offer courses in technical communication and related areas. Coursera and edX, for example, provide access to courses taught by instructors from well-known universities and institutions. These platforms offer the ability to audit a university course for free or to pay a fee for a certificate of completion, which can be a valuable addition to your resume.
Additionally, Udemy is popular among professionals seeking to enhance their skills through online learning. Udemy offers various courses created by professionals in the field, allowing students to learn practical skills and the real-world applications of technical writing principles. My employer provides Udemy to its employees, and I have found many valuable courses.
There's also RUclips-that's right, the same place you're watching me right now. Please comment and subscribe! For any common software tool or industry topic, I've always been able to find a video out there to help me along. The quality can be variable though, so never rely on just one video and try to avoid the ones that are mostly a sales pitch.
When it comes to online courses on any site, individual tools are a great place to start. There are a ton of videos and courses on those. Another thing to look into is programming or coding. Some sites are designed to take you from basic to advanced coding. Code Academy is one, and if you like to have a little fun, I recommend Code Combat. Any technical writer working in the software field should learn at least the basics of programming. Design is another area to look into. I'm always looking to improve my visual design skills. Visual design is not one of my natural abilities, so I often relearn the same thing every few years to keep myself at a moderate level of ability.
Because I've been trying to improve my video-making skills, I've watched several tutorials on FinalCut Pro, both on RUclips and through Udemy. I'm far from a pro when it comes to video production, but the videos helped me get started, and I'm now comfortable with the interface.
The company website is another place to look for courses, especially courses on an individual tool. Microsoft and Adobe, for example, have videos and other tutorials on all their products. This is especially useful if you need to learn Framemaker, which is still the leading desktop publishing program for technical documentation. Framemaker has a considerable learning curve, which is why learning it can really give you a step up when it comes to employers who still publish books.
00:00 Introduction
00:27 Skill Building
00:44 Finding Courses
01:24 Online Courses
02:41 Specific Tools
03:28 Company Websites
03:51 Certifications
04:08 Wrapping Up

[@maneuvermirza8329]

One of the most detailed vidoe manual on how to be a tech writer on YT. Good job Mr. Hewitt.👍

[@JohnHewittpoewar]

Thank you. I'm glad you got something out of it!

[@motherbird9208]

Thank you John for a great video! I am definitely in that in-between phase and trying to decide what the next step is in skill building.

[@JohnHewittpoewar]

Good luck with your next phase!