Choosing The Best Engineering Technical Writer And Editor
When it comes to choosing writers and editors for projects, you need the right person for the job. Not everyone can work with any kind of text. Some prefer working on fiction, for instance, while others are great at travel books. Certain areas are very specialized though. For example, if you're going to produce a book that engineers would use, you need an engineering technical writer and editor.
Ideally you would like a person who has a background in engineering. However, not many engineers are great with words. If you can't find someone who can communicate the technical know-how efficiently, it's often better to look for someone with a background in writing and editing instead.
One of the main reasons why engineers don't always make great writers is that they tend to assume that their readers already know something about the subject. They then don't spend as much time explaining concepts as is necessary. People who are good at writing and editing will take a complicated idea and explain it in the simplest terms, so that the reader will understand the text and won't lose interest.
It's very important that the members of your team will know how to do research. Moreover, they should be prepared to do so and be willing to learn something new. They shouldn't just accept what one source says as fact but should cross-check different sources. If they can find ways to understand the different concepts, they'll be better able to explain these concepts in a way that will make it easier for their readers to grasp too.
Of course your team needs to have excellent language skills. While it's not essential for the author to have perfect spelling and grammar, it will certainly help. It will make the editor's job much easier, so that the project can be completed within a shorter time frame.
It's a good idea to include at least one subject specialist in your writing and editing team. This person's job won't be to check spelling, grammar and syntax but rather to double-check facts. For instance, they will check calculations and formulas for accuracy, since this could make the difference between a strong and safe construction and one that will collapse. Your best candidate for being the subject specialist would be an engineer.
Finding writers and editors with the right background can be done by contacting specialist employment agencies or websites. However, you need to thoroughly check the candidates' background and experience. Don't be afraid to ask for references and for samples of their work. Professionals won't be offended but will gladly provide these.
Finally, it helps to remember that, as with all things in life, you get what you pay for. If you're not offering market-related rates, the good writers and editors won't be interested in working for you. However, pay well and set realistic deadlines and you might have your pick of people who will be a real asset to your project.
Ideally you would like a person who has a background in engineering. However, not many engineers are great with words. If you can't find someone who can communicate the technical know-how efficiently, it's often better to look for someone with a background in writing and editing instead.
One of the main reasons why engineers don't always make great writers is that they tend to assume that their readers already know something about the subject. They then don't spend as much time explaining concepts as is necessary. People who are good at writing and editing will take a complicated idea and explain it in the simplest terms, so that the reader will understand the text and won't lose interest.
It's very important that the members of your team will know how to do research. Moreover, they should be prepared to do so and be willing to learn something new. They shouldn't just accept what one source says as fact but should cross-check different sources. If they can find ways to understand the different concepts, they'll be better able to explain these concepts in a way that will make it easier for their readers to grasp too.
Of course your team needs to have excellent language skills. While it's not essential for the author to have perfect spelling and grammar, it will certainly help. It will make the editor's job much easier, so that the project can be completed within a shorter time frame.
It's a good idea to include at least one subject specialist in your writing and editing team. This person's job won't be to check spelling, grammar and syntax but rather to double-check facts. For instance, they will check calculations and formulas for accuracy, since this could make the difference between a strong and safe construction and one that will collapse. Your best candidate for being the subject specialist would be an engineer.
Finding writers and editors with the right background can be done by contacting specialist employment agencies or websites. However, you need to thoroughly check the candidates' background and experience. Don't be afraid to ask for references and for samples of their work. Professionals won't be offended but will gladly provide these.
Finally, it helps to remember that, as with all things in life, you get what you pay for. If you're not offering market-related rates, the good writers and editors won't be interested in working for you. However, pay well and set realistic deadlines and you might have your pick of people who will be a real asset to your project.
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