Selecting a technical writer
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Current phase:
The 2021 Season of Docs program finished on December 14, 2021. See
timeline.
This page contains tips for open source organizations on how to assess and
select the right technical writer for their Google Season of Docs project proposal.
Introduction
Open Source Organizations must hire a technical writer to work on their proposed project. Organizations must source their own technical writer.
Technical writers interested in working with organizations participating in Google Season of Docs may be found in the Google Season of Docs GitHub repo, and in the #season-of-docs channel in the Write the Docs Slack.
Assessing a technical writer
It is recommended that you request examples of previously developed documentation
from the technical writers you are considering, so that you can focus on
evaluating their technical writing skills and experience.
Technical writing skills and experience
Examine the technical writer's prior experience.
Ideally, the technical writer should have some prior experience in writing technical
documentation for the software industry. One of the goals for Google Season of Docs
is to give technical writers the opportunity to get involved with
developer-focused products. For that reason, it's not essential that the
writer has experience with APIs or SDKs or other developer platforms, even if
your project focuses on a developer audience.
Focus on language and communication skills.
Evaluate the technical writer's previous work from this point of view. Most
importantly: Can you understand what the person wrote? If you want to do an
indepth review of the language of the technical writer's work, look for
consistency in punctuation and phrasing, correct spelling, and clear language.
Is the phrasing simple or complicated? Are the sentences short or do they run
on until they become difficult to follow?
Pay attention to doc design and layout.
Check the overall layout of the document sample(s). Is the design logical? Can
you easily find your way around the document or documentation set? Is there
duplication of content or are there obvious gaps?
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Last updated 2025-01-06 UTC.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-01-06 UTC."],[[["This documentation is specifically for the 2021 Season of Docs program, which concluded on December 14, 2021."],["Open source organizations participating in Google Season of Docs are responsible for finding and hiring their own technical writers."],["When assessing technical writers, prioritize their technical writing skills and experience by reviewing prior work samples, focusing on language clarity, communication skills, and document design."],["While prior experience in technical writing for software is ideal, it's not crucial for the writer to have specific experience with APIs, SDKs, or other developer platforms."],["Organizations can find potential technical writers through resources like the Google Season of Docs GitHub repository and the Write the Docs Slack channel."]]],["Open source organizations must hire a technical writer for their project, sourcing them independently. Potential writers can be found in the program's GitHub repo and Write the Docs Slack channel. Organizations should assess candidates' prior documentation, focusing on technical writing skills, language proficiency, and communication clarity. They should also examine document design, layout, and organization, looking for consistency, logical structure, and ease of navigation. Experience writing technical documentation is recommended.\n"]]
