What Makes A Good Technical Writer?

Hiring a technical writer? Before you ask for a writing sample or quiz someone on commas, let's make your hiring checklist so you're paired with the right professional.

Good grammar is the bare minimum when hiring a technical writer. The real skill of a great technical writer isn’t editing. It’s translating complex ideas into reader-friendly ones. In high-stakes industries like engineering, healthcare, software, and manufacturing, the best technical writers do more than clean up documents. They make complex information useful, usable, and trusted.

Whether you're hiring in-house, outsourcing, or just wondering why your docs aren't landing, here’s what to look for in a technical writer: 

1. They Think Like The Reader, Not Just A Writer

A good technical writer doesn’t just capture what the subject matter experts (SME) said. They ask:

“What does the end user actually need to know to do this correctly?”

They prioritize clarity over completeness. If the audience is a technician on the floor or a customer onboarding software, that shapes how the document gets structured, labeled, and written. They ask:

• “Who’s using this?”

• “When are they using it?”

• “What are they trying to do next?

User-first mindset turns dense documentation into working tools.

2. They Manage Ambiguity

SMEs don’t always give complete answers. Processes change mid-project. Regulatory input shows up late. In these cases, a great technical writer doesn’t freeze. They identify gaps, flag issues, and ask thoughtful questions that move the draft forward. They know when to clarify, when to cut, and when to document assumptions until a final version is ready.

3. They Strategize Structure 

Content architecture matters as much as word choice. A great technical writer:

• Knows how to break long content into logical modules

• Designs for reusability and revision

• Uses headings, bullets, and labeling to support skimming and searching

• Can turn a spaghetti mess of emails, PDFs, and slide decks into a coherent whole

Technical writing is more than just making the words “sound good.” It’s about making the content work for the reader.

4. They Balance Accuracy And Clarity 

Technical accuracy is non-negotiable. However, accuracy without readability gets you documents no one uses (or worse, misuses). A strong writer knows how to retain precision while making content accessible to mixed audiences, including regulators, new hires, vendors, or customers. They will:

• Define terms without condescension

• Format steps for legibility

• Write warnings or exceptions that are impossible to miss

5. They Care About The Content's Lifecycle

A great technical writer doesn’t just submit a Word doc and walk away. They’ll ask you:

• “How will this content be used?”

• “Who owns updates?”

• “Where does it live, and how is it accessed?”

• “What comes next?”

Technical documentation is fundamentally a system, not a static file.

A great technical writer isn’t just a master of grammar and editing, a great technical writer is also:

• Curious

• Organized

• User-obsessed

• Detail-driven

• Comfortable with chaos

• Fluent in translation between experts, systems, and humans

Need one of those? That’s what we do. We write content that clarifies the complex for your team, your clients, and your future growth. Start here to work with us.