Moving into Tech
I spoke to some Technical writers in the past few weeks about why they chose Technical Writing. 89% of them gave the same reason. They chose Technical Writing because coding isn't a necessity for the role. This isn't the case with me because I'd like to learn to code.
I chose technical writing because it was the easiest way to transition into tech. I am a creative writer and technical writing seems the best bet because it is still in the writing industry. The other 11% chose Technical Writing because they are already in a tech field and they want to document their processes or experience.
How did I learn Technical Writing?
If you ask me how to learn technical writing, I will tell you to 'Take a course.' Follow people in the field, read about it, join communities and practice. When I say Take a course, I do not emphasize a paid one. You can opt for any.
It can be free yet premium. What you need to do is ensure the class will give you value. You can do this by checking reviews or learning outcomes and comparing it with other courses you see. A free class might be enough. It was in my case. I took a freemium class_ a two- month Bootcamp organized by EmpowerHer and NonTech In Tech. This class is just as good as Google Technical Writing Course, another freemium course.
This is how I learnt Technical writing and I am still learning.
What I learnt from the Bootcamp
Of course, I learnt a lot but it does not hurt to say a few. Here are some things I learnt from the Bootcamp:
Professional
- Consistency: We were mandated to document our learnings weekly across social media platforms. I have never been consistently active on a social media platform for four weeks. Yet, I have successfully done it in this Bootcamp for six weeks and counting.
- Resilience: When it gets tough, we push through. I have learnt that the first trials may not be one hundred percent. Giving up does not make it better but the ability to bounce back on one's feet and keep going makes the difference.
- Networking: The Bootcamp taught me the essence of networking in building a career.
What classes have been like with my teachers
Four excellent teachers taught me. Meet them:
Benny . He is a
● Data Analyst
● Technical writer
● Open Source contributor
● Community manager
Blessing. She is a
● Technical Writer
● Frontend Developer
● Community Manager
● Social Media Strategist
Light Segun, a
●Technical Writer
●Community Developer
●UI/UX Designer
Timonwa, a
● Frontend Developer
● Technical Writer
● Open Source Contributor
● Founder of Tech Roadmap
The classes have been great and filled with value. Each week focused on a topic or two. Some weeks were dedicated to reviewing assignments. All my teachers are great and I thank them for dedicating their time.
What I like about the Bootcamp
This is the first time I'll join a Bootcamp of any type and I am happy I made this my first attempt. Here are a few things I like about the Bootcamp:
Organization: All classes and activities are well organized. We are informed if there is any change in plans. Kudos to Tracy and the POCs.
Care: EmpowerHer does not aim to give us the free class, collate reviews and leave us. We have become of EmpowerHer. The community officials check up on, advise and motivate us.
Freemium: I knew it was freemium right from when I saw the flyer. Two months? Who would take you in for two months if they don't have anything to offer?
My favorite topic
I have been a fan of formatting for long. It seems cool. Formatting an article while or after writing makes it look great. I format my text sometimes on Whatsapp by bolding or italicizing some words for emphasis. This background love is what made 'Markdown' my favorite topic. Markdown is a lightweight markup language that you can use to add formatting elements to plaintext text documents. Markdown is easy to use and learn. I would not be able to cover all about it but these few are basic formatting styles in Markdown:
Headings There are six headings in markdown according to size. To create a heading, precede your text with the symbol '#' and space. E.g # EmpowerHer.
EmpowerHer
Note: '#' creates the largest heading.
Bold: Make a bold text by adding two asterisks before and it. E.g. EmpowerHer
Italics: Make a text italicized by putting an underscore before and after. E.g. EmpowerHer
Bold and Italics: Make bold text and italics by adding three asterisks before and after. E.g. EmpowerHer
Strike through: Begin your text with two tildes and end it with two tildes.
Links: Add a link by wrapping the link text in brackets ( [ ] ), and then the link in parenthesis ( ( ) ). E.g EmpowerHer Community
What is next after the Bootcamp?
After honing a skill, one should put it to practice. After the Bootcamp, I will learn new things. These will mainly be the topics I intend to write on. I will focus on building my portfolio by writing and contributing to open source as advised by Zainab Daodu. I will take Technical Writing as a career while working towards other goals in the Tech Industry.
I am grateful toEmpowerHer Community and NonTech In Tech. I never thought I'd be a part of this Bootcamp because I registered on the last day but look where we are now. Follow me on Twitter to see what I'd be doing next with my new skill.