Technical writing is the translation and organization of complex products and services information into documents that any person can easily understand and use. Technical writing providers are the organizations, companies, associations, and writers who supply these technical writing services to others. The services they provide are technical writing documents such as user guides, training manuals, and documentation of product or process development stages. With the advent of the Internet, these technical writing pieces are also provided online.
A technical writing provider usually offers all aspects of tech writing services. Sometimes a technical writing provider will focus on a specific types of technical writing service--such as training manuals--or a specific industry--such as the medical industry. Either way, technical writing providers supply invaluable tech writing services to so many different segments of the business, academic, and social world.
Some technical writing companies operate exclusively online. They specialize in the intricacies of online tech writing services, which brings with it its own set of challenges and techniques. These companies exist to help other people or companies get their technical writing properly published online. Some of these people or companies do not have the time, energy, or money to do their own online technical writing.
One of the premier technical writing organizations is the Society for Technical Communication (STC), found at www.stc.org. The STC has around 20,000 members and is dedicated to advancing the arts and sciences of technical communication. It helps technical writers and technical writing companies network, get jobs, get published, and find training.
Another organization is the BITE Division of the National Writers Union (NWU), found at www.nwu.org//bite/bitehome.htm. This division is for writers in business, instructional, technical and electronic media.
The Internet has great directories of technical writing companies, services, technical writers, and instructional courses:
- Google's directory for Business Technical Writing
- Google's directory of Tech Writing Resources
- Yahoo's directory for Technical Writing