Tech writers share a lot with standard writers, including using the proper orthography and grammar and the same collection of language tools other authors use. At the same time, though, they still need their toolkit to address the diverse words and innovations they write about every day.
In addition, technology itself is constantly evolving, causing technical writers to leave their way to remain in the industry. This is true for other authors, but tech writers, in particular, have a difficult time and sometimes have to spend hours researching and adjusting their charges.
Then there’s the question of obtaining photographs and even styling the code, so it’s easy to learn. And as if all this was not too difficult, they must also do this in the face of conflicting research and conflicting statistics.
The good news is that the resources are there, and we have done our best to list the best of them to enable technical writers of all levels of experience to take up their careers at the next level. Let’s start. Let’s get started.
- Acrolinx Acrolinx is a perfect way to look at your writing for a second pair and find possible issues with your copy. All is automated and therefore not so good as getting a human eye on it, but it is nice to find ways to make it more transparent and easier to read and eliminate some of your chunkier bits.
- Notepad++: This is essentially a leveled-up version of the regular Microsoft Windows-based Notepad program. Notepad++ can be used for editing text and code, making it an excellent way to store and share content in your favorite programming language. It can also be helpful if you take notes or compose as few distractions as possible with a minimalist GUI. That’s why when I worked on my college article, I used it.
- HyperCam: HyperCam is a software for free screenshotting that will help you bring articles to life by showing people how to do things instead of asking them. Videos often improve the length of time spent on web pages. HyperCam is so easy to use that it is a fantastic idea to talk about a complicated and challenging thing to illustrate without visuals.
- Adobe Photoshop/InDesign: Of course, this could be closely related to graphic and web designers, but a basic knowledge of these two programs may be helpful if you least expect it. Making changes to InDesign documents make you more appealing to potential customers, while simple Photoshop know-how helps you create images of your products.
- Paper Writing Pro: If you are inspired or struggle for the ability to outsource any or all of your content development, you can always work with experienced job writers like Paper Writing Pro. I did this before when I met clashing time limits, and we could find an arrangement that suited both of us.
- Dropbox:For any writer, Dropbox is a must-have because it includes integrated version control that allows you to roll back to any version of a file at any time. A few weeks ago, I worked on a customer’s paper essay, and my computer died when I saved it. When I booted it, the file got corrupted, but I could go back to the previous version of Dropbox and lost just a few hundred words. That’s worth using alone.
- Github: Github is a digital code repository that allows you to store and share your code with others. It may be a great place to find open-source code to refer to in your article, but it is also a great way to share your code with readers without having to include it in the article. I also find it a perfect way to keep your finger on the pulse of the other developers.
- Google Docs: Google Docs is ideal for collaboration since many people can view and edit it simultaneously. Even if you are not a particular user interface fan, writing in another program and using Google Docs for content delivery to clients is not a bad idea. It also supports the ability to leave feedback and track changes that are both necessary if you function as a team.
Conclusion
Now that you know which resources are available for you to use, the next move is to let each of them go and see which ones work best for you. Remember that a tool is only valid if it adds value, so don’t push it if you try something and it doesn’t feel suitable for you. Go to the next one and do what you do best: write a clever copy.
