technical blog writing examples

LinkedIn Best For: Thought Leadership. This isnt always easy work. Its just a nice way to wrap up a blog and will feel less like you left your reader just hanging there at the end. This article will go over what technical writing is and some of the common technical writing examples to get you started. Ive found that relatively concise posts with a 5 - 10 minute read time are the most successful. During my research, this was one of the most highly rated blogs in the market. Drupal Blog Example. For example, users could begin clicking on sections to get an entire overview of InDesign. For example, some ideas are better suited on my personal blog versus medium or Google+, and yet others should live here on SendGrid's blog. My main suggestion would be to try writing about several different things and see what works. Here are a few tips you can use to create your outline: A SERP analysis and content optimizer like Surfer SEO or Contentpace can you create comprehensive outlines and content that help you rank on Google. The simplest strategy is to write about what you know. For example, Redpoint Global created a white paper to explain the problem of brands connecting with customers through their preferred touchpoints. Usually, people are more than willing to give helpful recommendations on how to improve your blog. Doing so has changed my life, and I cannot stop talking about it. Your goal needs to be specific so that you can focus all of your energy on one main idea. You can find a great example of proper API documentation in how Dropboxs API documentation works. You can learn a lot of technical information and news about the tools used by developers at Google and other areas, such as Apps Script and the Google Chat API. its key purpose and the solution it provides. Think about all the past or recent projects you have worked on. The technical writer needs to work closely with the company stakeholders to develop a complete business plan. Pick where you actually publish the post so that it has the best chance of reaching your audience. If you have an in-house design team at your disposal, then ask one of them if they would have some time to help you create a cover photo for your blog. It offers advice about text formatting, assets like images and author bios, and some notes about how to refine the . I like using Scriveners corkboard mode for this. The simplest strategy is to write about what you know. API documentation includes instructions on effectively using and integrating with any API, such as web-API, software API, and SCPIs. That helps them develop a first-hand experience and, ultimately, develop better user manuals. What it does well: This technical document is neatly organized with a table of contents, headings, and subheadings. In any case, the business plan has a few predetermined sections. Ill leave you with one last bit of advice. Once you find a consistent pattern, try to mimic it and see what happens. Find a good topic and commit to it You can't get started on a post unless you have something to write about! Technical Writing Examples to Inspire You - DevTeam.Space When I write a technical blog post, the goal is to create something that saves the reader time and inspires new ideas. The body should also provide readers with practical and applicable knowledge that they can use at work or in everyday life. Once you know some of the fundamental building blocks, the actual writing process will be a lot easier. Before I get started, I ponder these 2 questions: If I can come up with acceptable answers to those questions, then its a go. API documentation is a reference manual on how to effectively use and integrate the application programming interface (API). When I was putting together this post, I got some super valuable feedback that made the content much better and more focused. How to Write an Effective Blog Description (with Examples) - TechnicalWall When writing an introduction for a technical blog: An effective body is important because it provides the main content and ideas of the blog post. In becoming a technical writer, you may have to work with various other people, such as software developers, software engineers, human resources professionals, product designers, and other subject matter experts. Typically, it features articles written in a conversational style with accompanying pictures or videos. I'd Rather Be Writing Here are a few ideas to get you going: I recognize that this process may seem to be a bit overkill at first glance, but consider that once you turn process to habit and begin to automate the time spent implementing your workflow, that investment of time will pay big dividends eventually. At this point, we take our purpose, objectives, brainstorm, and research and transform that information into an outline. Below is a Drupal blog that features add-ons and modules. Last but not least, potential recruiters now more than ever go online to see what cool projects you have worked on in the past. Come up with a great title and subtitle, and make sure your post has at least one image. All technical manuals, including user manuals, have to be highly user-friendly. I needed a more specific goal in mind: Once you have these, keep your post focused by removing anything that doesnt contribute, and avoid adding extra detail just because its related. This is a good place to learn how developers and the engineering community increase their knowledge. When I talk to people who want to start blogging, this is often their main blocker. Remember, the simpler your language, the better! If you read this far, tweet to the author to show them you care. There are many examples of technical writing, such as preparing instruction manuals and writing complete guides. Ive also personally gotten a ton of benefit out of writing: it has helped me organize my thoughts, teach people about technologies I love, and get my name out there. 20 Best Technical Writing Blogs and Websites in 2023 We would love to answer any questions you have! In this article, I offer my recommendations for the fifteen best technical writing blogs that you should follow. On the other hand, GraphQL vs. REST, my most-read post ever, was written in a few hours late at night. This can also help you avoid overwhelming your readers with too much information. Technical writing blog focusing on the latest trends, news, and other topics in the field of technical communication. At this point you are ready to turn over to your editor or publish to the ultimate editor, your audience. 9 Important Technical Writing Skills to Know (2023) Now that you have some of your own original ideas out on paper, its time to find out what knowledge has been already uncovered. This full-fledged technical writing knowledge will help you increase your sales and marketing results. Images can also help break up what might seem like an endless sea of words. Elmer Thomas is SendGrid's Developer Experience Engineer. Resources for accelerating growth. This could include user manuals, online support articles, or internal docs for coders/API developers . You can edit the samples directly or develop your own while taking inspiration from them. Avid coffee drinker who enjoys taking long hikes, practicing yoga, & baking on weekends. The user manual serves as a complete guide on how to use the product, maintain it, clean it, and more. You wont know what people are going to get from your writing until they read it. If you want people to see what youve written and get value out of it, make sure to share it in the places where your audience is likely to hang out. Skills Required for Technical Blog Writing . Your topic should be relevant, interesting, and informative to your audience, and should showcase your expertise in your field. You can first read the 10 laws of good report writing in the guide including: produce the report for your reader (s). idratherbewriting.com Facebook 235 Twitter 6.1K Frequency 7 posts / week Since Jun 2006 FeedSpot 1.8K Posts 86 DA 53 Location US Get Email Contact 2. There are many benefits to writing a technical blog and not only for the sole purpose of helping others. Now that you have the idea, the goal, the structure, and some feedback, its time to polish everything up and ship it. This will help you determine the level of detail and technical jargon you should use in your blog. Tired of sorting through the junk in your inbox just so you can find the emails you really need? What it does well: This SOP includes a brief overview of the purpose of the document (aka the Scope) at the top so the reader knows what to expect before reading. Its three-part series on technical writing was published ten years ago. Blog Software Cost: Free LinkedIn Ideal Users Give them a quick summary of what they learned, a pat on the back for reading, and maybe even something to do next if theyre inspired - a call to action. For example, you should try to focus on one to two industries or a specific form of technical writing. It offers resources to help a technical writer of any level, from how to write a quick start guide to whats required in various tech job positions. This will be where the real meat of your content is contained and where people will be taking the most time on. Bonus points if you share that process . Healthcare What industry has deep pockets and needs to translate complex information into layman's terms? You can check out multiple white paper examples, , along with various templates and guides. This is where your assumptions about your topic, goals, the details of the post, and the structure are really put to the test. Want to advance your technical writing career? Therefore, the target audience of user manuals is complete novices, amateurs, and people using the product/s for the first time. It has been around since June 2006. And a technical writer is someone who writes these instructions, otherwise known as technical documentation or tutorials. User Manuals. You can do various writing assignments and check out technical writing samples to understand what youre good with. It clearly presents the problem, digging into three obstacles that prevent data-driven customer engagement with numbered lists. It also allows your blog to have a natural flow of ideas, increasing its readability. class CreateOrders < ActiveRecord::Migration[5.2]. Publishing is the easiest part. The specific tools utilized in this workflow are Mac OSX based, but the concepts can be applied to any toolchain. 55 Best Blog Examples to Inspire Your Blog Journey in 2023 White papers delve into addressing any industry-specific challenge, issue, or problem. Get into the habit of doing this for others as well. To get an idea of whether or not a blog was received well by the public, I would pay attention to how many claps it got and if there were any consistent correlations. Now that you have finally accomplished writing your blog, the fun part begins, editing! Some blogs, especially ones that are longer than 10 mins., would benefit from adding an image. 5 Technical Writing Skills Teams Need to Hone, Definition of a Technical Writing Process. So, use active verbs and sensory language to make your narrative more vivid. includes instructions on effectively using and integrating with any API, such as web-API, software API, and SCPIs. The preview will auto-update as Scrivener auto-saves. Medium can also provide a plethora of useful how-to blogs, so check out what has already been written on your topic of interest. Examples are from the GraphQL-related posts on the Apollo blog: Now, let me dispel a few common concerns: Having said all that, at the end of the day, its hard to predict what topics will make a great post and which ones wont, and often its the execution that makes or breaks a post, not a brilliant topic. Start your writing process once you have a complete idea of what you need to do. It covers a broad range of topics, not always technical in nature, but many in the technical writing industry recommend this blog to anyone who is starting out in technical communication. If the company is technical, such as a robotics company, the technical writer needs to develop a technical communication method thats easy to digest. The blog isnt updated regularly, but its still worth a read. Use a lot of headings, numbered lists, and formatting to help people understand where they are, and enable them to skip around to the content they are most interested in. Google Developers Blog is famous in the dev world. You can download them in PDF and edit them to develop an idea about how you can write a custom user manual for your product. A lot of people tend to type How into Google when looking for an explanation, so including this is another useful tip. These steps ensure that laws, industry regulations, or a company's quality standards are met. It's also a widely-used marketing tool. As a technical writer, you may have to learn new things continually, increase your knowledge, and work with new forms of content. It also includes examples and tutorials to help make integration easier. Top 7 Inspiring Technical Writing Examples to Know - Archbee For example, if a quality assurance engineer wants to learn about machine learning, your article needs to explain machine learning in simple terms and focus on the basic concepts, not the algorithms and frameworks. To get a sense of what Draft.dev can teach you, check out the blog. Here are some specific types of posts you could go for. However, if you need content that is as close to being publish-ready as possible, then use Content at Scale. Showcase Your Skills With a Writing Portfolio | Skillshare Blog A List Apart. 11+ Technical Writing Jobs That Pay Well (Even for Beginners) I decided to write for Draft.dev after reading one of its blog posts on technical writing. It may also include information on key personnel, legal entity, founding date, location, and brief financial information. Just reach out to us on our Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Technical writers who develop annual reports must compile all the necessary information and present it in an attractive form. For sponsored posts, see here. This is what people will see when the post is shared on Twitter or Facebook, and its your chance to get people interested in reading. It doesnt seem to be updated regularly, but you can still check it out for information about various aspects of technical communication as well as more general tips on good writing. However, user manuals have photographs, numbered diagrams, disclaimers, flow charts, sequenced instructions, warranty information, troubleshooting guides, and contact information in recent times. If your reader has made it all the way there, they really care. After all, this is one of the first things they will be looking at when searching for information related to their problem. HackerNoon, which launched in 2016 but has become famous with the rise of crypto, is read by many people who like to be updated on the latest tech news. Doing this is not cheating, in fact, you are saving yourself precious time going this route. He had his first job in technical writing for a video editing software company in 2014. What are they interested in? Technical Writing Examples in Three Major Categories This is the final, but most important step of publishing a technical blog. One approach is to outsource content writing services from freelancers and digital agencies. includes what the offering is, what value it provides, and what stage of development it is in currently. We just walked through five of the most important things to do when writing a blog post, from coming up with the idea to publishing. For example, a blog titled 5 Hacks to Help You Succeed as a Developer will tend to get way more engagement. SMPT Port 465 and Port 587: Whats the Difference? Whatever workflow you choose to implement, take the time to document it. Technical Writing SOPs are typically required in industries such as manufacturing, warehousing, and restaurants. When you address your reader, it feels more personal and as if you are actually talking to them. User manuals or instruction manuals come with various products, such as consumer electronics like televisions, consoles, cellphones, kitchen appliances, and more. The 13 Best Blogging Platforms for 2023 (& How to Pick One) User manuals are there to address direct and common issues at most. As a technical writer, you may end up being confused about your job description because each industry and organization can have varying duties for you. Untill then, enjoy our tips on some of the proven methods of earning money online. So, let's get Started! Technical writing is the art of explaining complex technical topics in simple language for readers at different experience levels. Technical writers can create anything from manuals, articles, and tutorials to whitepapers, ebooks, and product descriptions for various organizations. Let your target audience and purpose guide your technical document. What is ChatGPT & 10 Creative Ways To Use It Simply drag the project onto the Marked icon and you are in business. You can check out some examples here for case studies, along with complete templates. Technical writing is all about easily digestible content regarding a specialized product or service for the public. are some great examples of orientation manuals you can check out. For example, pharmaceutical companies may hire medical writers to write their content since they have the required knowledge. Individuals enter the profession from different backgrounds and for different reasons. You can send it to a friend, co-worker, or family member. I would recommend checking out the blogs tips for technical writing, content marketing, and other tech expertise. How to Write a Technical Writer Cover Letter, Google Technical Writer Interview Questions, How to Write a Grant Proposal Cover Letter. The idea is to set a precedent for releasing any key piece of information in a follow-up press conference, news release, or on a social media channel. He writes about API documentation, reference guides, and technical communication news and trends. An annual report is a comprehensive technical document that a company presents to its shareholders to describe its activities from the previous year. Stripe, the online payment processing company, provides comprehensive documentation on its API -- from Authentication to Request IDs. Outline the content: Give readers an overview of what they can expect to learn from the blog post. by Sheekha Singh Though I prefer to use mind mapping for this step, you might prefer index cards, paper, a white board or outlines. The point of this technical blog is to make it easy for anyone to understand and grasp the concept with as little effort as possible. Our 8-Step Guide for How to Write a Pro Blog Post product performance, stability, and other non-functional aspects. The content is polished and accurate, which is crucial as it's presented to a large audience. Part of being a valued employee entails being an effective communicator. Tips on How to Write Your First Successful Technical Blog In Heroic Technical Writing: Advice and Insights on the Business of Technical Communication, freelance writer Bart Leahy has a wonderful way of explaining things with his blog, which has been around since September 2011. Reading them will help you improve your understanding and writing skills. Here are a few things you should be aware of and what your reader will appreciate. For previewing what your MultiMarkdown will look like when formatted, I use Marked. You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Then head over to the Corrections tab and uncheck Use smart quotes and Automatically detect web addresses. Apple Style Guide. We accomplish this by creating thousands of videos, articles, and interactive coding lessons - all freely available to the public. The freeCodeCamp article about getting published also has some great tips about writing style and formatting. If you learn all the intricacies of technical writing and technical documents, you can practically work with any form of content, given that you know the format. This helps give your readers eye a break. Follow his exploits on. The internet is full of lists for technical blogs, but this list has been curated for you based on personal experience as well as quality recommendations. Apple Style Guide. The white paper then offers a solution for using a customer data platform. End-User Manual Also called user guides, instruction manuals, and end-user documentation, an end-user manual is content that guides someone on how to use a product or service. Including You in your title will also get more viewer recognition. Usually, 9 times out of 10, if you have come across a problem, then someone else has too, so why not impart some of that useful knowledge to others? It might be a bit nerve-racking to have someone else critique your work, however, its far better to get their opinion before sending it out into the world. All you are doing is collecting those useful pieces of information and consolidating them into one, easy resource for an individual to extract from. In this article, well go over five main steps of my process for writing a post: You cant get started on a post unless you have something to write about! Presented for 2020-2021, the report includes an overview of CHS, its business activities, and in-depth financial information. This writing style requires a deep understanding of the subject matter and the ability to communicate effectively. A clear understanding of your product is the most important skill to possess for quality technical writing. I typically define we as the stakeholders, which include your audience (be sure to get specific), your company (what do they expect to gain? Adobe includes clear instructions and images for each topic. For this post, the goal couldnt have just been write about blogging. It should be well-structured and easy to follow, using clear and concise language. Get started, freeCodeCamp is a donor-supported tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity organization (United States Federal Tax Identification Number: 82-0779546). Technical writers may also work with customer service experts, product liability specialists, and user experience professionals to improve the end-user experience. When choosing a topic, be specific. Actually, the shorter the blog the better. Was there a time where you came across a difficult problem that you were unsure about how to handle and solve, but eventually figured out? But a simple structure is the most direct way to communicate with your readers. In today's digital age, technical blogs have become an essential source of information for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Most of the time I use WordPress to publish, in those instances, Ill export to HTML and paste into the HTML editor. (No credit card required for 14 day trial). For each blog post, I like to create an Evernote notebook to store the research results, but you can also use the Research feature in Scrivener which allows you to keep all the information related to your blog project in one place. Now that your blog post is published, its time to let the world about it. Become a Certified Technical Writer. 2023 Instructional SolutionsRefund Policy | Terms | Privacy Policy. Technical Writing Portfolio . Therefore, developing SOPs requires a complete study of how an organization works and its processes. Regurgitating that information will solidify it more firmly in your mind. Copyright 2023 Technical Writer HQ, All Rights Reserved. Guestposting on The PennyMatters has since been discontinued. Once Ive determined I will expand the topic into a blog post, the workflow begins. Source: Apple. User guide development for the product gives a technical writer a chance to work with devices and new technologies before being released. Many technical writers have curated stories on HackerNoon, and its a good platform if you want to learn about programming, hacking, gaming, machine learning, cybersecurity, and other tech-related content. Dont worry about your first one being absolutely perfect, as with anything new, practice makes perfect. Re-read your work and check to make sure everything is sound from a technical standpoint and on the grammatical side of things. For instance, if you are wanting to demonstrate your code, just insert it into a text box like below. Published Technical Writing Examples | Learn To Write Technically Sound Pieces Today In any case, they work closely with people to develop digestible content for the end customers. That may require past experience, direct technical knowledge, or an ability to understand multiple pieces of information quickly and effectively. Its a great place to hone your skills and build your professional visibility. In any case, its crucial to maintain a certain level of knowledge to be able to pull it off. The writers take the work developers created and transform it into something even a layman can understand. keep the report as short as possible. Knowing your readership will help you tailor your content to their needs and interests, making your blog more engaging and informative. 1. You need to be technical enough to write about a topic but not too technical for the end-user. I learned a great deal from this blog when I was starting out. Depending on the feasibility, they may have an executive summary or follow the universal press release format. The different types of technical writing have unique characteristics that you can easily learn and master effectively. For instance, a technical writing portfolio can include samples of: instruction manuals; reference guides; how-to guides; Michael Clark: Technical Writer launched in February 2012, and it offers a great set of posts around technical docs and technical writing. 5. Writing Skills For example, my purpose for writing this blog post is to help developers convert their software projects into blog posts that will in turn help other developers. You can connect with him on, RECOMMENDED COURSES FOR TECHNICAL WRITING, Sreeranjani Pattabiraman, Senior Technical Writer. Simplified" by improving the lives of developers, both internally and externally. 1. Huge thanks to Anvisha Pai, Angela Zhang, Katie Siegel, and the freeCodeCamp editors for helping review this post. Since publishing my first blog post ever in 2014, Ive ended up writing 68 posts so far here on Medium, some with over 50k views and 1000 fans, and edited many posts for my friends and coworkers. If a company is launching a new branch, it still needs to start with a business plan. Writing What is Technical Writing? Get our #1 industry rated weekly technical writing reads newsletter. For bonus points, try to get your post into a relevant publication that will help share your content - in this case, Ive selected freeCodeCamp because I think this advice will be relevant to their readers. If your blog post is a tutorial, I suggest you have another developer run through and try to duplicate your results, providing feedback along the way. In any case, API documentation helps clients understand how it works and how they can effectively implement API. 11 Technical Writing Examples & Samples in 2023 If theres a better business idea out there, we will find it and bring it up to you. Medium is generally a great place for technical content, and makes it easy for people to discover your writing. technical-blogs Annual reports directly correspond with company stakeholders and serve as a transparency tool. Both documents are written for a specific target audience and require technical writing skills. An excellent way to do this is to read good technical blogs. What it does well: Stripe's documentation includes definitions, helpful core resources, information on products, and more. What it does well: The annual report clearly updates shareholders on the company's condition while telling a story about how the company pivoted during the pandemic. As you can see, it's a technical blog post about how to write a technical blog post, a nice meta style guide. If you need a little help with keyword research and creating effective headlines for your posts, ChatGPT is a great tool to use.
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