Technical Writing
Technical Writing Background
I originally entered the field of technical writing as a challenge made by a former employer. At that time, I was a Senior Field Service Technician repairing a wide variety of electronic and electromechanical equipment. One particular day I made a comment to the Director of National Service about the sad shape of the repair manuals, service bulletins and other supporting documentation given to us in the field. He said if I could do better, I should prove it. Over the next year I submitted many recommendations and changes to existing documentation. I also wrote up new techniques and repair procedures on the equipment we were supporting. A short time later, I was promoted out of the field and into Technical Support. There I had the responsibilities of telephone technical support, the training of field service technicians, and the writing of service-related documentation. This became my main career until my retirement from full-time employment.
Though I had been a Technical Writer for the better part of the last 30 years, it is a fact that I have done a lot of writing and editing since my high school days. My higher and continuing education, the US Army, various civilian and government employers, and the volunteer organizations I have been associated with all called upon me to use my writing talents in many ways, and still do to this day.
My résumé reveals the formal technical writing positions I’ve held. Along with those positions, I have had additional studies relating to my career in technical writing and training. Some of those studies were provided by, or supported by, my employers. Others were colleges, universities, state and federal agencies, or organizations I sought out to enhance my knowledge.
The following pages have information about the training I received and some technical writing examples:
