What Is Technical Writing & How Is It Different from Content Writing?

Feb 07, 2022 | By admin


So, what does content writing and technical writing mean?

While both of them are a form of ghostwriting, content writing means writing the content of websites and can also be classified as SEO writing as well as internet writing where the content writer is someone who fulfils content requirements on various topics on the website and they perform other duties such as writing blogs etc. Technical writing is something that is totally different from content writing, as a technical writer writes user guides or tutorials and content on help forums on specific specialised topics. Another point of difference between the two different types of writing styles is that content writers always have to keep in mind the marketing point of view and have to write their material in a way that conveys the message that is in line with the content plan and they also have to have a deep knowledge of SEO. A technical writer on the other hand has to keep the material instructional material simple so that the user gets to operate the product or the service and therefore the technical writer has to keep in mind the user at all times while writing.

What is the type of skills these distinct styles of writing require?

While their job descriptions may seem similar, there is a difference between their writing styles.  While the content writer has to write in a certain way that makes the content beautiful and expresses the emotion of the client that they are writing for, the technical writer has to keep in mind the simplicity of the user while they are doing the writing.  Thus, we see that there is a difference in goals while writing in both of these styles of writing.  However, both of these styles of writers need to have impeccable knowledge of grammar and structure and must also be apt in doing their respective research while writing their respective content. Let’s look at their variation of skills on different points.
  • Planning – While there is a lot of planning involved in both of these styles of writing, the nature of the planning varies from style to style as we will see. In the technical writing sphere, the technical writer has to keep in mind the documentation plan and has to write accordingly and move their schedules and their writing routines according to their progress in the documentation.  The content writer on the other hand has to keep in mind that their work must fall in line according to the core content plan and therefore the content writer has to stay in sync with the marketing and the sales departments so that their content is effective for various retail marketing techniques such as SEO.
 
  • Communication – Content writers and technical writers follow two different channels of communication. The content writer should always maintain their communication with the sales teams and they should also keep in touch with the creative team as well as the web design and development teams so that they can grab hold of the ethos and the theme of the website and the content that they are writing.  And this is where they need to specialise.  The technical writer must stay in touch and be in a direct communication link with the R&D team as well as the development teams related to the product line as well as the help-desk teams where they come across user complaints and queries.
 

Do they ever overlap?

Their roles may overlap from time to time as the technical writer may be brought in to lend their hand in the technical aspect of a certain piece of content or when the time arises that technical writing may be uploaded to and as a part of the content. However, one is not a substitute for the other as the content writer however cannot replace the technical writer and the technical writer cannot replace the content writer as their roles are different but their content may switch places from time to time.   So, this was a brief overview about technical writers and content writers and at GetBestWriters we have excellent and experienced technical writers and content writers who are seasoned and have worked on several projects and product lines and know exactly the type of written content you want. Get the best writers from us as we are the most trusted ghost-writer for hire agency in India.