A technical writer (also called a technical communicator) is a professional writer who engages in technical writing wherein he or she designs, creates, and maintains technical documentation. This documentation includes online help, user guides/manuals, white papers, design specifications, system manuals, project plans, test plans, etc.

Engineers, scientists, and other professionals may also produce technical writing, but often hand it off to a professional technical writer for proofreading, editing, and formatting. A technical writer produces technical documentation for technical, business, and consumer audiences.

In addition to solid research, language, and writing skills, a technical writer may have skills in:

Technical writing may be on any technical subject that requires explanation to a particular audience. A technical writer is not usually a subject matter expert (SME), but possesses and applies expertise to interview SMEs and conduct research necessary to produce accurate, comprehensive documents. Companies, governments, and other institutions typically hire technical writers not for expertise in a particular subject, but for expertise in technical writing, i.e., their ability to gather information and produce well-written documentation.