Writing is not easy, whether it is technical or creative.
What’s challenging about writing is that you (as a writer) try to communicate with a very wide range of audiences. You need to see or know what they think when they read your words.
So, how to communicate effectively and clearly is the main challenge of any writing. This gets more complicated when you are writing technical content. Often, when we write technical content, we must have a target audience in mind to choose the correct tone for the article. Setting the right tone could make or break your writing, and it takes a lot of practice to learn how to select the right style for a large audience with diverse backgrounds, reflecting how diversity and inclusion drives innovation and growth.
In this article, I will share some ideas and tips on what makes a good technical article, which can help you set the right tone and reach a wider audience.
But first, what is a good technical article?
A good technical article is an article that effectively conveys complex technical information to its target audience. It is an article that delivers a message clearly, concisely, and engagingly.
Whether your audience is engineers, scientists, developers, other technical audiences, or the general public, these tips will help you plan and write a successful technical article.
Let’s get right to it!
- Clear and Well-Defined Topic: Start with a clear and specific topic or problem your article aims to address. It is always better if your article has one central message rather than trying to tackle multiple messages and confusing your readers.
- Know Your Audience: It is important to consider your readers when writing your article. Because then you can tailor your content to their level of expertise and their interests.
- Well-Structured Content: Organize your article with a logical, smooth flow. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break the content into smaller, more manageable grasp sections. Always try to practice your transitions, and remember, after all, you’re telling your readers a story, and stories must be cohesive.
- Clarity and Simplicity: Use plain language and avoid complex terminology unless necessary. And if you do use technical words, explain them, even if you think some of your readers may already be familiar with them.
- Depth and Detail: Provide enough depth to satisfy your target audience’s curiosity but not too much to confuse them. Include relevant technical details while trying to balance clarity and readability.
- Visualization all the way: Humans are visual creatures, so always incorporate diagrams, charts, graphs, and illustrations. An effective visualization is one that can help clarify complex concepts and make the content more engaging without adding a further level of complexity.
- Provide some Examples: Technical writing can sometimes be a bit theoretical, which can make understanding it a bit challenging. Try to use real-world examples, case studies, or practical scenarios to illustrate your points and demonstrate the application of the information you provide.
- References and Citations: It is extremely important to give credit to the sources of your information and void plagiarism. So, always make sure to back up your claims with reputable sources and cite them properly. This adds credibility to your article and allows readers to explore further if they want to learn more about the topic you introduced.
- Engaging Writing Style: Keep your readers entertained using a conversational yet professional tone. Avoid overly dry or academic language. It is an article and not a scientific paper. While both are meant to deliver information, their target audience and methodology are very different.
- Accuracy and Precision: Ensure that all information presented is accurate and up-to-date. Double-check facts and figures, and be transparent about any limitations or uncertainties.
- Length Consideration: Be mindful of the article’s length. Balance the depth of information with the reader’s attention span. Long articles may benefit from summaries or critical takeaways. A good rule of thumb here is to write enough to convey the message, whether 500 words or 2000. Once you feel your message is delivered, try not to add more words just to reach a specific word count.
Takeaways
Remember that a technical article’s effectiveness also depends on your target audience’s specific goals and preferences. Always strive to meet their needs and expectations while delivering valuable technical content.
Writing is a skill that needs to be honed; the only way to do that is to write and write a lot. Once writing becomes second nature to you, you will develop a process for writing that will make it easy to set a tone and know the most effective number of words to deliver any message you want.
These tips help you make your articles better, so keep writing!
