What Does a Technical Writer Do? 2025 Career Guide

Technical writers, also known as technical communicators, are responsible for explaining processes to consumers of various industries, such as health care and IT. As a technical writer, you communicate complicated ideas or instructions through guidebooks, manuals, brochures, or graphics. You focus on communicating information and ensuring that it’s easy for the reader to understand.

Learn more about what a technical writer does and the steps you need to take to begin your writing career.

Keep in mind. Technical writing differs from creative writing because you’re responsible for communicating instructions or information to the consumer in a concise, simplified way. The language you use should be clear and professional and should represent the company and its goals.

What is a technical writer?

Technical writers are professional writers who produce instructions and how-to guides for consumers. In a technical writer occupation, you'll write the answers to frequently asked questions for businesses and work directly with your clients to accurately create and write content for them. 

Technical writer vs. content writer

Technical writers and content writers both use writing to communicate; however, the two roles are not the same. The biggest difference is the intention behind the writing. While content writers focus on selling a product or idea, technical writers are responsible for explaining a product or service.

Technical writing is objective. While creativity is necessary for simplifying complicated ideas, technical writing itself is unemotive and straightforward. Content writing focuses more on using your imagination to market a product to a consumer.

Another major difference between the two writing styles is search engine optimization (SEO). Content writers implement SEO to reach an audience through keywords. Using keywords increases the chances of your article appearing in online search results. SEO is important for any kind of writing or selling of a product; however, as a content writer, you are more likely to use it.

What does a technical writer do?

Technical writers communicate on behalf of a company. As a technical writer, you have many different tasks and responsibilities that differ based on your employer and what industry you work in. You’ll also research, observe, and write documents based on your research. 

Technical writer tasks and responsibilities 

Your role as a technical writer has many different responsibilities depending on the field you work in. However, certain responsibilities exist across all technical writer roles.

Common responsibilities include:

• Simplifying documents: Technical writers simplify complex ideas to make them easy for people to understand. This allows consumers to digest the information more easily and get their questions answered about the company.

• Editing: You are responsible for editing and proofreading documents, manuals, and other written work given to you by your employer. Proofreading and editing are essential to making writing more concise and straightforward and preventing writing errors from being published.

• Communicating: Technical writers must communicate through the written word. You also have to communicate with your coworkers, employers, and others. You get feedback from consumers and apply that information to what you’re writing.

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Technical writer skills

To be a successful technical writer, you need to know the voice and goals of the company you are working for. As a writer, you are representing your employer by answering questions and creating important documentation on their behalf. Additional common technical writer skills include:

• Writing: Technical writers have writing skills and often hold a degree in the field in which they write, such as computer science. In your resume or portfolio, include examples of your writing style but also state that you can adapt to the voice of the company you work for.

• Research: As a technical writer, you will participate in research and study on behalf of your client. An important skill to have is knowing how to apply the information gathered to your writing. You'll use your research to impact your overall message and you might include feedback from customers using the company’s product or service.

• Collaboration: An important aspect of technical writing is working with your leaders, peers, and consumers of the company’s product to understand their feedback. Writing itself is usually done by one individual at a time, but the processes leading up to writing are important in creating a good final product. 

Read more: What Are Certificate Programs?

Technical writer salary and job outlook

The average salary for a technical writer in Canada is $64,655 CAD as of March 2025, according to Glassdoor [1]. Your salary as a technical writer may vary based on your location within Canada. For example, the median hourly wage for a technical writer in Quebec is $43.27 CAD, while a technical writer in Saskatchewan makes $29.27 CAD hourly [2].

The Government of Canada Job Bank predicts that British Columbia and Manitoba will have good prospects for technical writers in the next three years, and Quebec may have moderate opportunities during that same time frame [3]. 

Technical writer career path

A job in technical writing typically requires a bachelor’s degree and a writing portfolio. Your future employer may want to see your experience and writing abilities to determine whether you’re fit for the role. 

How can I get a certificate in tech writing?

Some universities offer technical writing certificates so you can build your skills and stand out to employers. To gain a certificate in technical writing, find a university that offers a certificate and enroll in the program. The cost and length of each program may vary.

Education and training

To become a technical writer, employers will typically require at least a bachelor’s degree. Relevant degrees include English, science, IT, finance, or business administration.

Associations such as the Society for Technical Communication and the Science Writers and Communicators Canada offer training and certifications for technical writers who wish to continue pursuing higher education and developing their skills. Certification or additional training is not typically required to become a technical writer, but it may help you build your resume and fine-tune your expertise.

Getting started in technical writing with Coursera

If you’re ready to start your career as a technical writer, begin by enhancing your skills and gaining experience to build your resume. Explore Google Prompting Essentials on Coursera, where you’ll have the opportunity to practice using five steps to write effective prompts and apply prompting techniques to help you with everyday work tasks.