Ever felt the invisible weight of imposter syndrome creep in when someone mentions “technical writing”? It’s a common scenario. Perhaps you’ve considered a career in the field, or maybe you’re already dabbling, but a nagging thought persists: “I’m not a subject matter expert. How can I possibly explain complex technology if I don’t fully understand its deepest nuances?”
You’re not alone. This misconception – that to excel at technical writing, you must first be an oracle of all things technical – is widespread. And it makes perfect sense why. Your job, after all, is to distil intricate information into accessible, digestible content. Naturally, people assume you need to live and breathe the subject matter.
But here’s the refreshing truth: you absolutely do not need to be a subject matter expert (SME) to write world-class technical articles. What you need is something far more powerful: a relentless curiosity, a knack for structure, and the willingness to ask the right questions. In many ways, that’s the true beauty of this craft – asking is often more vital than knowing.
Embrace Your Beginner’s Mind: Your Secret Weapon
Let’s flip this perceived weakness into your greatest strength. That lack of deep, inherent knowledge you might worry about? It’s your most potent tool. Great technical writing often begins with a learner’s mindset – one that mirrors your potential readers.
Think about it. When an expert explains something, they sometimes forget the foundational steps or the definitions of jargon they’ve used for years. It’s a cognitive bias known as the “curse of knowledge.” Research, like that conducted at the University of Arizona, highlights how difficult it becomes to imagine what it’s like not to know something once you’re intimately familiar with it. They simply can’t un-know what they know.
This is where you, the non-SME, shine. Your fresh perspective allows you to approach the subject with the same greenness and genuine curiosity as your audience. You’ll instinctively ask the questions experts overlook – the very questions your readers are silently pondering. You’ll interrogate every concept, break down jargon into plain language, and by filling your own knowledge gaps, you create the clearest, most user-friendly experience for everyone else.
So, instead of seeing your lack of expertise as a hindrance, brandish it. Let it guide you. Let it make you the ultimate advocate for the reader.
Forge Powerful Alliances: Connecting with the True Experts
While you don’t need to be the expert, *someone* does. And that someone is your lifeline: the Subject Matter Expert. Building a robust, trusting relationship with an SME is paramount. This person (or team) holds the keys to the kingdom – the deep insights, the intricate details, the very essence of the technical project or subject you’re writing about.
Your role? To be the indispensable bridge. You stand between their profound, often complex understanding and your readers’ need for clarity. SMEs often reside deep within the architecture of their own systems and concepts. Your mission is to gently extract those invaluable insights and translate them into a form that can travel far and wide, making sense to a broader audience.
But to do this effectively, trust is non-negotiable. SMEs need to know you’ll represent their work accurately, respect their time, and ask thoughtful, pertinent questions. Here’s how to cultivate that crucial relationship:
Communicate Like a Pro, Even When You’re Not an Expert
- Do Your Homework First: Never show up to an SME meeting with a blank slate. Read, research, and come armed with specific, intelligent questions. This shows respect for their time and effort.
- Ask “Why” More Than “What”: The “what” tells you a product feature exists. The “why” tells you who it’s for, what problem it solves, and why it matters. Uncovering the “why” provides invaluable real-world context – precisely what your readers crave.
- Clarify Terminology Immediately: If you hear a term you don’t understand, don’t nod along pretending. Stop, ask for clarification. Misused or misunderstood terms in technical documentation can instantly erode credibility.
- Summarize After Every Call: A quick follow-up email outlining your understanding and key takeaways from your conversation is a game-changer. It ensures you’re both on the same page, heading off costly rewrites and misunderstandings down the line.
Beyond Reporting: The Art of Translation, Not Transcription
Once you’ve gathered your insights, the real magic begins. Your job isn’t to simply transcribe an expert’s jargon onto the page. Anyone with good typing skills can do that. Your true value lies in your ability to interpret and transform that raw information for your target reader.
This means stripping away unnecessary jargon and focusing on plain language. It means shifting the spotlight from all the fascinating technical wizardry that powers a product or service to how it directly impacts and benefits the user. Consider the difference:
- Flattering the Tech: “Product XYZ is cutting-edge because it’s built with first-of-its-kind quantum-encrypted blockchain technology using proprietary AI algorithms.”
- Serving the Reader: “Product XYZ, built with cutting-edge quantum-encrypted blockchain technology, simplifies your data management and secures your privacy, helping you achieve compliance with ease.”
See it? The first sentence is impressive, but it’s self-serving. The second immediately connects the advanced tech to a tangible benefit for the reader. You’re not just writing about technology; you’re writing about solutions, efficiencies, and improved experiences.
The Unyielding Pursuit of Accuracy: Fact-Checking Like Your Career Depends On It
This point isn’t just important; it’s foundational, especially for non-SMEs. Technical stories live and die by their accuracy. Unlike creative prose, where a little embellishment might be fine, your facts must be 100% true and verifiable. Code snippets must work flawlessly, and examples must be reproducible. There’s no room for error.
Run everything back to your SME for confirmation. Every screenshot, every data point, every statistic, every line of code – get it checked. You are playing a game of trust with your readers, and nothing shatters that trust faster than an avoidable error. A quick email for verification can save you from a major credibility hit.
Once you’ve ensured absolute accuracy, then, and only then, can you build your story. Because at the end of the day, technical writing is still writing. It needs a compelling structure, a clear flow, and a satisfying payoff. Anchor your piece in the “why” (the problem or goal), unfold the “how” (the process or solution), and close with the “what next” (the insight or call to action).
The Heart of the Matter: Clarity Beats Complexity
So, if you’ve been hesitant to dive into technical writing because you’re not a certified genius in quantum physics or advanced machine learning, take a deep breath. Your path to excellence doesn’t require a deep dive into every technical rabbit hole. It requires something far more valuable: a commitment to clarity.
Ask good questions. Write like you’re explaining a complex idea to a curious, intelligent friend. And if you ever feel lost, remember this guiding principle: clarity beats complexity every single time. By focusing on your reader, leveraging expert knowledge, and pursuing accuracy with diligence, you can craft technical content that truly shines, no expert badge required.
We hope this has offered you some clarity (and assuaged your fears) about navigating the exciting world of technical writing without being a subject matter expert. Until next time, keep asking those smart questions!
