Qualifications
The first rule of technical writing: You do not talk about technical writing.
Okay, not really. The first rule of technical writing is not to go and automatically get a degree in English. This may seem completely odd to you—we're talking about technical writing, after all. The thing is, in order to write about biotechnology, for example, you need to understand biotechnology, and that means receiving some kind of an education in the field.
So, in order to become a successful technical writer, you should consider earning a technical degree. You will also, of course, need amazing communications skills, because technical writers analyze information, suss out what's important, and then write (or otherwise convey) what they want to say in a clear and concise manner.
How do you obtain these writing skills? Well, if you're interested in technical writing, maybe you're already a good writer. The thing is, though, technical writing is completely different from anything you've produced so far in a classroom setting.
Many universities today offer classes, certificates, and even degrees in technical writing (source). Start by taking a class or two in the field to see what this career entails. More importantly, you're going to need to show employers that you've actually produced technical documents before.
You can put your toe in the water by taking on a technical writing internship as an undergraduate, or by finding a full-time job with your technical degree post-graduation that has a technical writing component where you can hone your skills. (Most successful technical writers actually work in their technical field prior to switching over to writing full-time, so they'll have a thorough understanding of what they’d like to write about).
What else will you need? You'll need to be an amazing researcher. You're going to be spending lots of time observing the process or product you're documenting, talking to people about it, and looking up information in libraries or on the Internet.
You're also going to need significant computer skills. Expertise with Microsoft Suite isn't going to cut it. There are all kinds of software programs you may need to be familiar with, depending on what industry you're writing for. For example:
- Android technical writer: HTML, Javadoc, Doxygen
- Technical writer for a law firm: Visio, Project, Crystal Reports, Adobe Pro
- Technical report writer for a hospital: McKesson’s Horizon Business Intelligence, Business Objects, Crystal Reports