Technical Writing Tips: Organization & Tone
As an aspiring technical writer you’ll find yourself in a unique position to build a successful freelance writing career, but there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind as you get started. Technical writing is a specialized skill and your clients will be looking for a specific level of expertise.
Today we’ll start by looking at the organization and tone of a technical paper. Organization is essential to any project, so you should be able to carry these ideas into the rest of your writing as well.
When organizing a technical paper, you should include:
- A strong introduction that explains exactly what the paper will cover.
- A summary for each section. The summary will explain what is covered in the next section as well as give you the opportunity to make a smooth transition. They also help readers identify specific pieces of information if they are not prepared to read the entire paper in one sitting.
- Transition statements. Make sure the transition statements at the end of each paragraph support the new thought you’re going to introduce in the next one.
- A strong conclusion. Write a strong conclusion, but make sure it’s not redundant (ie. don’t use or repeat the word “conclusion” a dozen times. It’s unnecessary).
The tone of a technical paper is important as well:
- Put your conversational style away when writing this type of paper. You need to remain professional and scientific at all times.
- Never write in the first or second person when putting together a technical paper. It’s not about “I,” “You,” or “We.” It’s about the “science of writing a technical paper.”
- Avoid filler words, fluff, and random lists of facts. You should be able to incorporate the information you need seamlessly into your statements. Don’t include any statements that aren’t important or support the theories you presented in your introduction. Using too much filler material is called “snow” and educated readers don’t appreciate it.
Practice makes perfect. Even if you don’t have an assignment you should take some time to choose a topic and practice writing. If nothing else, your completed technical paper will make a great addition to your growing portfolio!
Other great freelance writing resources on the web: