Are you struggling to write technical articles to let your readers understand the jargon in simpler terms?
It would be best if you considered hiring a technical writing consultant to let your readers understand complicated information in accessible terms.
In a highly demanded field, technical writing services are no longer an option but a vital component of any organization by being an essential tool in business communications. By investing in technical writing, you will experience long-term results.
To help you out, I have compiled a list of the top 8 consultants to hire in 2022. Learn what makes each an incredible technical writing consultant, backed by experience and evidence.
Let’s get started.
What Does a Technical Writing Consultant Do?
An average technical writing consultant’s duties include:
Technical Documentation – A technical writing consultant’s primary responsibilities is creating manuals, online help, white papers, project plans, design specifications, and software documentation. With increased online learning, they are also tasked to create digital material. Technical writers also assist designers, manufacturers, companies, and clients develop technical documentation.
Content Organization – Technical writing services are responsible for organizing content into a document to be easily understood by non-specialists. Technical writing tasks incorporate researching, creating, and delivering information through various media, such as print, electronic, and audio-visual.
Proofreading – An expert technical writer needs to possess editing and proofreading skills to deliver documents free of grammatical and stylish errors.
Data points – Tables, charts, and graphs are invaluable aids to highlight patterns and clarify technical information to the intended audience. When senior technical writer frames reports, they use illustrations, tables, diagrams, charts, and drawings to deliver information more effectively, thereby aiding in providing a professional viewpoint of the report.
The Benefits of Hiring a Technical Writing Consultant
Now that you know what a technical writing consultant does, let’s take a look at some of the benefits of hiring one to look after your projects:
A professional technical writing consultant will devote all their time to the project. Assigning technical communication projects to other internal employees is unrealistic and disappointing.
Technical writing consultants are trained to assess the content strategy (audience, objective, delivery options, etc.), plan, timeline, and deliver quickly.
They have the awareness and experience of the various content development tools available and the methodologies and delivery options that can provide the most cost-effective, accurate, and complete documentation delivery possible. Many project owners are unaware or have not been exposed to this technical knowledge.
Experienced technical writing consultants have the organizational and grammatical skills to communicate complex concepts, procedures, and knowledge for various audiences, reading, and comprehension levels. And let’s not forget the project management and negotiation skills.
8 Best Technical Writing Consultants to Hire
Technical writing can be a cost, but the results are always worth it. However, you must be extra careful when selecting a profile to fill this crucial role.
That being said, here are eight consultants that you will be pleased to have on your team:
1. Josh Fechter
I know, a bit braggy. But I do want to start with me first. I am an experienced technical writing consultant and the founder of Technical Writer HQ and Squibler, an AI writing software. I have written software tutorials, manuals, handbooks, and white papers for over eight years, bringing 20,000 – 200,000+ Monthly Visitorsin a single year.
Squibler is a SaaS company that I started from scratch. It is an intuitive platform that helps technical writers quickly create, edit, and revise technical documentation using the Squibler technical writing tool.
I have written several books documenting various technical software and another book about copywriting.
Next up on the list is Ellis Pratt. He’s a talented technical consultant and writer at Cherryleaf. He is a Director at Cherryleaf and has over twenty years of experience working in the documentation field.
In 2017, he was mentioned as one of the top 25 Content Experience influencers in the world by Mindtouch Inc.
Since September 2014, Ellis has been on the Management Council for the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators. He has a BA in Business Studies. He is a Member of the Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators and an Associate of the Institution of Engineering and Technology..
The next organic technical writing consultant is Kelly Summers – an experienced director of documentation at ProWrite.
She is the co-owner at ProWrite, which helps businesses’ needs by creating documents from installation and user manuals, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and technical reports to training materials, quick reference guides, and website content.
She helps technical writing companies resolve a wide variety of writing needs by taking complex information and condensing it into concise, user-friendly content that a wide audience can understand.
Considering her bountiful achievements, you can count on Kelly to scale your business through her experience in technical writing.
4. Claire Broadley
Claire has years of experience in technical writing. With roots in writing, she was able to quickly build a career in technical writing consultancy. She currently works at Red Robot Media.
She writes high-quality editorial and technical content, ghostwrites business blogs, and does technical articles and reviews, user guides and documentation, ebooks, white papers, and brochures, as well as business podcasts and screencasts.
Matthew is another highly regarded resource in technical writing. He is a writer at Red Robot Media, with 8 years of experience producing complex, single-sourced user guides in Madcap Flare.
He is currently available for ad-hoc or contract work, remotely or on-site. In addition, he has written manuals for various businesses, including cloud apps, software asset management, video editing, IT hardware, and production line equipment. He has also co-authored a book on Camtasia Studio.
6. Craig Wright
StrayGoat Writing Services Ltd is run by Craig Wright, an experienced freelance technical communicator who founded the organization in 2012.
Before becoming a technical writing consultant, he was employed for 15 years as a technical writer by Serck Controls, which Schneider Electric subsequently acquired. Primarily, he created online help content and user manuals.
Craig Wright’s rates for technical writing are £300 a day for remote work and £350 a day for on-site work. To give you an idea of costs for a project, a user guide of 60-80 pages would cost around £5000. Take a look here for more details of Craig’s approach to pricing and to find out about fixed price options. You can tell Craig more about your technical writing needs using the contact form and contact details found on his website’s Contact page.
7. Amy Castronova
Amy is a goldmine of a resource for anyone looking for a technical writing consultant. She is the director of Orbis Technologies.
Orbis Technologies provides business analysis, technical documentation, and training solutions for medical devices and systems that enable users to fully utilize a product or system, thus improving patient outcomes and becoming a reference for market penetration. In addition, their solutions improve product usability while reducing training time and cost.
So, if you are looking for an expert, then Amy is your best bet.
8. Lalitha Mohan
Lalitha is an experienced technical writer and consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. She is skilled in Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Management, Requirements Analysis, and Agile Methodologies. She is the principal consultant at GraviTech Solutions Private Limited.
Gravitech excels in project design and detailed engineering expertise varying in domains of Field Instrumentation, Control Systems, Panel Engineering, Industrial Weighing, and Batching Systems.
Is Hiring a Technical Writing Consultant Worth it?
As discussed above, investing in a technical writing consultant is worth investing in if you want to make technical processes easier for your users.
Feel free to connect with any of the professionals discussed above. However, remember that they all have their specialties, so it’s better to discuss your exact project requirements to receive the best consultation.
As an ending note, always remember you get what you pay for. You can feel like assigning the work inside or hiring cheap. However, in the long run, it will cost you more in redoes, lost delivery time, and exposure to legal liabilities due to oversights, omissions, and inaccuracies in the final documentation.
FAQs
Where do I find a top technical writing consultant for my project?
Right here on Joshfechter.com, you can employ me as a top technical writing consultant or search for others on the following sites:
Upwork
People Per Hour
Fiverr
How do I hire a technical writing consultant in 2022?
Here’s a step-by-step guide to hiring technical writing consultants in 2022:
Know comprehensive details and requirements of the job, including the required skills, complete timeline, and segments for prospective developments.
Examine core skills such as high-level knowledge of IT, project management, technology planning, etc.
Consult me or use other hiring sites to employ high-level technical writing professionals.
Discuss the assignment details with the shortlisted contender(s).
If the candidate understands your long-term and short-term project goals, they are ideal for the job.
How much would it cost to hire a technical writing consultant?
On average, a technical writing consultant can charge anywhere from $50-95 per hour. However, the total cost depends on factors such as the scope, size, and project timeline.
What skills should I look for in a technical writing consultant before hiring?
Technical writing consultants require a host of important skills and expertise. A high-quality one will have a deep understanding of technical and scientific services and excellent writing skills.
Any technical writing consultant you hire must have the following skills, at a minimum:
Clear understanding and knowledge of your product
In-depth knowledge of your product’s industry
User persona targeting
Technical documentation essentials
Mastering the mode of communication
Knowledge of technical writing software tools
Basic graphic & web design skills
Research skills
Delivery in a timely manner
The candidate must be willing to understand the project just as deeply as the client. This will help them create what the client demands.
Moreover, such consultants can also get certifications from organizations such as the Society for Technical Communication and American Medical Writers Association.
These companies also propose education programs to help technical expert start their careers or tune their skills as part of a lifelong learning program. When posting an open position for a technical writing consultant, use job titles, job descriptions, and any needed technical knowledge specific to your field.
To hire the best technical writers, figure out how many years of experience they have and if they have any special certifications.
Where can I hire a technical writing consultant in 2022?
You can hire the best technical consultants for your projects right here or any of the other sites mentioned in the full list above.
Where do I find a technical writing consultant if I live outside the US?
Right here on JoshFechter.com. If you are looking for other consultants and experts worldwide, you can find them on sites such as Upwork and Fiverr.
Should I invest in a part-time or a full-time consultant?
Companies that create complex or technological products need full-time technical writing consultants to create and update product documents, web content, user manuals, diagrams, knowledge bases, and educational materials. Consider how much technical work you must complete to determine if you need a full-time individual for consistent work.
If you have scattered projects that require a technical expert, using a freelancer might be a cost-effective solution. This person can work on the writing project until it’s completed without ongoing employment expenses when you no longer need them.
How do I choose between two technical contenders?
Review previous projects to determine which consultant can better translate complex data into understandable content. Consider asking your top candidates to provide a portfolio related to your products or industry, particularly if their experience is in another industry. Notice how well each candidate communicates verbally, especially when conveying complex answers.
What qualities should I look for in a technical writing consultant specifically?
Look for one who presents themselves professionally and with integrity.
The resume, writing samples/portfolio, and website must be thoughtful, professionally organized, and prepared. Check with their previous employers and take references to get the answers to questions you have concerning their work and integrity, including their capacity to work long hours unsupervised and meet deadlines.
Ensure the technical writing expert showcases the ability to listen to what you want to say.
Even if the writer you are considering writes well, do they hold the capacity to paint a picture of your product or in terms understood by the masses you are trying to reach?
Is the candidate innovative and can create an original and creative concept?
Look at their portfolio and writing samples to ascertain their ability to create an easy-to-understand document from an otherwise mystifying collection of information. Were they able to configure a set of instructions into something understandable and did that compellingly?
Does the technical writing consultant demonstrate the ability or desire to adapt?
After scrutinizing their portfolio, does the technical expert have a style that connects with you or the vision you have for your company? If not, do you feel they have the aptitude to do so after a discussion with them? A first-rate technical consultant is like a chameleon, who adapts, changes, and acclimates to their client’s needs.
A good technical expert should have excellent written and verbal communication and first-rate interpersonal skills.
They must communicate effectively on various levels and with diverse groups of people. The ability to extract technical information and then the skill to convert that information into an easily understood framework is essential. These prerequisite interpersonal skills enable them to create the documentation and information with the audience you are trying to reach.
Does the technical consultant have the desire and aptitude for learning new skills?
The writer you choose needs to be curious about the world and willing to learn new things. This skill set allows them to readily absorb your company’s technical information and then convey it clearly, and succinctly. By analyzing their writing samples and the companies that have employed them, you can easily get an idea of their proficiencies and the quality of their work. Technical consultants who make a habit of challenging themselves will be able to take your content to a new level.
Does the technical writing expert have industry-specific skills and knowledge?
If you want to fill a specific skill set, finding specialized technical consultants in your particular industry can benefit your company. This enables them to work for you with a strong industry-specific knowledge base and build from there.
But do not reject individuals who don’t have industry-based qualifications. Technical experience and satisfied former employers are much more of an indication of their work and products.
A skilled technical writer is logical and organized.
Although layout skills and good grammar are important, their talent for organizing materials in a logical manner is more critical in serving the needs of your customers and company. User-friendly documentation creates customer satisfaction which affects your bottom line. Is the information orderly, concise, and easy to read when viewing their portfolio?
Does the technical writing consultant have the design skill set required to do the job?
Most technical documents are more than just the written word; therefore, not only does the formatting of that written word come into play but also the need to supplement it with illustrations to fully convey the message. Does the technical writing consultant have the skills necessary to meet the job’s demands?
In the end, finding the best fit is easy. Knowing your needs and what you are looking for, then asking the right questions to fill those needs, will allow you to employ your maestro.
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I’m the founder of Technical Writer HQ and Squibler, an AI writing platform. I began my technical writing career in 2014 at a video-editing software company, went on to write documentation for Facebook’s first live-streaming feature, and later had my work recognized by LinkedIn’s engineering team.