Transition to Technical Writing from Diverse Backgrounds with Beatriz Mejia, Technical Writer at Ben Fatto

Beatriz Mejia, Technical Writer at Ben Fatto shares her insights on how an individual’s background in different fields can influence their approach to technical writing. She further elaborates on strategies to overcome the challenges during this transition.

Watch the Video Podcast here 

About Beatriz

1. Bea’s LinkedIn
2. She started her career as an English teacher. Since her teenage years, she always had a strong connection to the language and a desire to do something creative with the language.
3. Bea landed her first technical writing job through a colleague of hers who shared the opportunity with her. She gained valuable experience in the role, and it marked a fantastic beginning to her journey as a technical writer.

Key Takeaways

• According to Bea, one of the most important skills that are similar in both teaching and technical writing is the ability to translate complex subjects and topics. As a teacher, one must think about teaching different types of learners, and the same understanding will make things easier in the technical writing role.
• “The role of technical writers in technology companies is crucial as they advocate for users. Project managers and developers often become deeply immersed in the technical aspects, so writers and UX teams can assist them in delivering a better product”, says Bea.
• The greatest benefit of switching to a technical writing job is the flexibility to work from different locations, which allows individuals to balance their personal lives with their careers. It is also important to conduct regular research, connect with people, ask the right questions, and be creative.
• The most challenging thing in technical writing is documenting a complex product. A piece of advice for writers here would be to speak up and ask questions. And with experience, one can learn how to come up with the right questions.
• “In addition, try to find stakeholders who are more interested in documentation, and this will help you get allies to work on your side. When you have these people, you can deep dive into research, get more comfortable and you don’t get overwhelmed with complex documentation”, explains Bea.
• Bea points out that it is very important to understand what type of learning style fits each one of us. This will be a game-changing experience because we can take advantage of the style, thereby contributing to both professional and personal growth.
• “In today’s fast-changing world, continuous learning is crucial for one’s professional growth. Technology advances too fast and especially with the AI learning tools out there, one can easily get upskilled.” Bea adds.

Rapid fire with Beatriz Mejia

• Highly recommended resource

Google Writing Style Guide

• One word that comes to your mind when you hear documentation.

Structure

• A piece of advice you would give your 20-year-old self  

“Be patient and don’t get too attached to small things. Work hard with the right mindset, stay dedicated, and with time, things will work out.”

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