How to become a technical writer
Official title: Technical writer
Also called: Engineering writer, Health science writer, Information and communications technology (ICT) technical writer, Technical copywriter, Technical copywriter
Technical writer designs and writes manuals, brochures, handbooks and other similar technical publications in a form readily intelligible to intended readers. He/she directs the preparation of photographs, technical drawings, sketches and other illustrative material. He/she submits draft manuals for technical comment and makes corrections where necessary. He/she may specialise in a particular technical subject such as electronics.
Main tasks
- Conducting research to establish factual content and to obtain other necessary information
- Analysing material, such as specifications, notes and drawings, and writing manuals, user guides and other documents to explain clearly and concisely the installation, operation and maintenance of software, electronic, mechanical and other equipment
- Writing brochures, handbooks and similar technical publications
- Selecting material for publication, checking style, grammar and accuracy of content, arranging for any necessary revisions and checking proof copies before printing
Ways in
- University: Communications & Media degrees, Offered by 1 universities in Singapore
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $70,692 a year. The middle half earn $52,416 to $112,704 a year.
- Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a technical writer?
Ways in include: Communications & Media degrees.
How much does a technical writer earn in Singapore?
Median full-time pay is $70,692 a year (Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg)). The middle half earn $52,416 to $112,704.
Will AI change the work of a technical writer?
Generative AI could change many tasks in this job, which usually reshapes the work more than it replaces it, by the ILO's global estimate.
Sources
- Ministry of Manpower (via data.gov.sg): Resident Occupational Wages (Occupational Wage Survey) (June 2024 (data.gov.sg update 2026-04-01)), Singapore Open Data Licence v1.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
- International Labour Organization, Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure (ILO Working Paper 140, Gmyrek et al.) (ILO Working Paper 140, May 2025, Annex Table A1), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
Updated 4 October 2026