Entering the freelance writing field can be overwhelming. Many people who enjoy writing may be considering a career in the freelance writing field, but they either do not know where to start, or they feel like they are underqualified for the job. This is frequently not the case.
Technical freelance writers are in high demand because they are needed in almost every industry. The term “technical freelance writing” may scare away some writers, but often the articles are much easier to write if you approach them the correct way. Technical writing freelance is not limited to highly specific areas like science and technology that require a wide depth of knowledge pertaining to the field. Everything from an instruction manuals to cover letters uses some aspect of technical writing.
Unlike blogs, op-ed pieces and other types of writing that lean towards a casual style, technical writing is typically very formal, includes facts and figures, and is written from a very matter-of-fact point of view. Avoiding fluff, personal opinions and keeping the article unbiased are the keys to writing a successful technical article.
Before you even begin writing a technical article, make sure you are aware of your audience. Because of the nature of technical writing, topics can vary greatly and the article should be written in a way that it is easily understood by the reader. The purpose of a technical article is to take something complicated and break it down into easy to understand terms that will help the reader better understand the subject. This is why knowing your audience is crucial to writing a successful technical article.
When writing technical articles, you should approach them from an objective point of view focusing solely on factual information that will benefit the reader, as well as educate the reader on the subject. Technical writing should be straight to the point. Focus on only the imperative information and be sure to lay the information out in an easy to read and logical way.
Nearly every freelance writer has written a technical article at some point without even knowing it, usually by writing a resume and/or cover letter. Once a writer gets a few technical articles under their belt, they begin to realize that the subject matter is not as complicated or difficult to tackle as they once thought. They then may begin to take on more and more technical articles.
Advice: Don’t let the subject “technical article” scare you away from writing an article. Many technical articles can be easily researched and are far less difficult than people assume. Once you begin writing a few technical articles, you may find that the specific style needed for this type of writing is right up your alley!
Kathleen O is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
