The Ultimate List of Technical Writing Tools

With the motive to improve communication and establish collaboration among consumers thus achieving enhanced customer satisfaction, facilitating the development of technical products and services and promoting the understanding of technical information, more and more businesses are focusing on their  technical writing skills to expand their businesses.

Technical writing can be very difficult. Some of the challenges include inconsistencies in the documentation, poor user experience, poor Search Engine Optimization and difficulties in coordinating workflows with stakeholders for instance Software Engineers. So, in this article we will have a brief description of various technical writing tools used by the technical writers at APPWRK to overcome these challenges.

Introduction to most popular tools for Technical writing

Technical writing is a vast task which does not end only at writing but also involves technical diagrams, images, screen captures and many other processes. There are numerous tools available in order to produce top-notch documents. As a technical writer, you are required to note down every technicality and minutest of details to be covered in your document. The technical writing tools are available for your help in various aspects of writing a document such as writing, drawing, editing, reviewing and rewriting. We are listing below the most widely used tools available for technical writing to make life easier and bring the best out of you.

Research Tools

Research is a critical aspect of technical writing as it provides the foundation for accurate, relevant and credible content. Technical writers need to have a thorough understanding of the subject matter they are going to discuss. Research helps in gathering the information and data in detail. It helps in validating the information they have gathered and ensure it is accurate and up to date. Technical fields are constantly evolving and research helps them to stay in touch with the latest advancements and developments. It overall helps them to make informed decisions and decide what context is best for the writing purpose. Gone are the days of going to the library and studying numerous books and materials to make notes to refer to. Today technology has made so much advancements that this tedious process is made simple and on-the-go. We are listing below various tools that help technical writers to conduct and maintain technical writing research.

ChatGPT 

ChatGPT is a cutting-edge AI technology that offers a range of applications and has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with computers and generate content. It is designed to generate human-like responses to text-based inputs, making it a powerful tool for a range of applications including chatbots, content generation and language translation. 

Bit.ai

Bit allows researchers and teams to collaborate, share, track and manage all knowledge and research in one place. It is the perfect research tool to share multi-dimensional research with your peers and not just plain, boring text and slides. Add articles, PDFs, videos, white papers, ebooks, audio samples- basically anything you can think of – and share it with your peers easily. The only disadvantage is that it is available free of cost for a limited period of time and after that you will have to pay to avail its services. 

Google Keep

Google Keep is one of the most efficient tools for technical writing during the research phase. The reason to choose Google Keep is that we can create separate notes for each topic that is being researched and store links to websites, YouTube Videos, or even add photos directly to it. The one downfall associated with it is that it requires an internet facility to be accessed. But in this modern age and time everyone has an internet facility.

Word Processing Tools

The first and foremost phase of starting a documentation process is writing. The most common and most used  platform when a person is entrusted to create a content is undoubtedly Microsoft Word. But in today’s date there are many tools available which are more feature rich than MS Word, which are listed below:

Google Docs

Google docs is one of the popular free online word processors without a limitation of accessing and editing the documents online. Google docs is available to the users with three different options as: Editing, Suggesting and Viewing. With the editing option, one can edit and remold your writings upon taking access from you. With the suggesting option, one can suggest some comments on the ongoing writings and with the viewing option, one can view and print the data anytime, anywhere. Moreover, on google docs the user does not have to worry about any developments as the data is directly saved to the google drive which can not be lost in case of electricity issues or so. One can always keep a check on who is proofreading your documents and for what purpose.

Notion

Notion is flexible and one of the most popular tools used extensively for multiplying productivity. It can be used as a writing repository, task management software, workout calendar, a database and so much more. Notion also gives its users the power to create custom workflows and various task views, access to a library of ready-to-use Notion templates, version history, and real-time collaboration.

Evernote 

Evernote is a cross-platform, freemium app designed for note taking, organizing, and archiving. It allows users to create notes, which can include text, photos, audio and video, and organize them into notebooks. Notes can also be tagged, edited, searched and synced across multiple devices. Evernote also offers additional features like to-do lists, web clippings and integration with other apps and services.

Twords

Twords makes you aware of your writing habits by tracking how much you write each day and month. ‘Accountability buddies’ notify you when you miss several days of writing. If you get writer’s block, you can consult a library of prompts, set a timer to challenge yourself to write for a specific amount of time or read an article about the habits of successful authors. Twords is a web app that nudges you to write and operates on three principles of awareness, accountability and consistency, making it a perfect choice for technical writers globally.

Quip

Quip allows users to create and edit documents together in real time, share and store files and communicate through a built-in chat feature. It is designed to streamline workflows, increase productivity and improve communication among team members. The platform’s ability to manage multiple document types and provide real-time collaboration makes it a suitable tool for technical writers.

Coda

Coda is a great tool for documentation and process automation. With Coda, you can create and format text, add images, tables, and other media, and collaborate with others in real-time. Additionally, Coda’s ability to integrate with other data sources such as spreadsheets and databases, allows for a more comprehensive approach to document creation and organization.

ClickUp

ClickUp lets you create documents and edit them alongside teammates in real time. It offers a range of features including task management, time tracking, collaboration and reporting. Additionally, the software integrates with a variety of other tools and platforms such as Google Drive, Slack and Trello, making it a flexible and comprehensive solution for teams. ClickUp is aimed at organizations and teams of all sizes, from small businesses to enterprise-level organizations.

Zoho Docs

With Zoho Docs you can create a document, spreadsheet or presentation. The changes in the document can be tracked and comments can be left anywhere in the document. The platform also includes features such as version control, document approval workflows, and task management. It is aimed at businesses and teams looking for a comprehensive solution for managing and collaborating on documents and projects.

Spell Check Tools

As a technical writer or blogger, penning your ideas based on your research is not that tedious than proofreading it and delivering a flawless outcome.  This includes grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, punctuation errors and so on. Content can be written by each and everyone but what makes it different from other competitors apart from thoughts is its quality based on the above mentioned criteria. 

Grammarly 

Grammarly is one of the extensively used tools worldwide by technical and content writers. This tool works as an online text editor in chrome, firefox and other web browsers. It pinpoints the mistakes swiftly and side by side offers suggestions to rectify them. It also offers a feature of plagiarism to check whether the content is written by self or is copied from somewhere else by running through millions of web pages. It also helps in rephrasing the sentences. 

Trinka AI

Trinka AI stands out by working with authors and ensuring holistic language improvement beyond grammar and spelling checks. It adheres to academic style guides while suggesting corrections in your manuscript. Furthermore, it has custom-built features such as maintaining academic tone, providing unbiased language, concept clarity, sentence structure, alternative word choice. It provides detailed explanations as to why a correction is suggested. Furthermore, it helps researchers in reducing word count by suggesting alternatives without changing the context of the matter.

Hemingway Editor

The Hemingway Editor is a popular editor  that focuses specifically on readability. It is designed to help writers strengthen their work. It provides a sleek, minimalist interface that is focused on an analysis of your writing. Hemingway cannot be integrated into processors like MS Word or browsers like Google Chrome. You have to write in the app and export it to Word afterward. Hemingway editor has an algorithm that makes color-coded suggestions.

Yellow Sentences

These are the sentences Hemingway identifies as lengthy or structurally complex. Hemingway suggests splitting or simplifying yellow highlighted sentences.

Red Sentences

 Hemingway feels this sentence structure may confuse readers due to length or complex phrasing. Rework these sentences until the red highlight vanishes.

Purple Words

 The chosen color here is an in-joke for writers. Purple words have a more suitable, simpler alternative. Hover over them to see Hemingway’s suggestion.

Blue Words

 Blue words are adverbs that may signal weak or hesitant language. Hemingway feels these should be omitted.

Green Phrases

Green indicates passive voice. While this may be appropriate in some contexts, active voice usually makes a more powerful statement.

Screen Capturing tools

It is a common practice to add illustrative images and screenshots of a product or a service as they display the face of a business. These screenshots play a vital and important role in selling a product or a service. When a consumer lands on a website the first thing for noticing are the images on it alongside content which will attract him/her to pay for a specific product. 

Snipping Tool

The Snipping tool is a highly effective tool for a technical writer and is user friendly. This pre-built tool helps you to capture a screenshot of a full screen, a window alone or a section using the rectangular snip option. This tool is used worldwide by hundreds of technical writers as it is a sophisticated version of Print Screen on your keyboard. 

LightShot

LightShot  is an easy to use tool which allows you to capture screenshots, edit and share them by selecting any part of the screen, saving it and directly sharing it on the cloud. It has an additional feature of allowing you to search for similar images online at the same time. This is the most widely used tool for image capturing by writers globally. It just takes two clicks and you are ready with your revived image. 

TechSmith SnagIt

With SnagIt, you will get advanced screen capture features like: 

• Panoramic screen capture( for scrolling windows and long web pages) 
• Screen Recording ( for quick and disposable how-to videos)
• Animated GIF from a video (for quickly showing a process)

SnagIt is flexible enough to grow with you and your work. According to research from TechSmith, 79 percent of employees believe that using screenshots or video would improve their business and 48 percent of employees consider video the most engaging form of communication. 

FireShot

FireShot can work offline performing functions like full page screen capture, save screenshot to PDF or images. Instant screenshots are stored locally and generally produce no traffic. You can capture, edit and save them to PDF/JPEG/GIF/PNG and upload, print and send them to OneNote, Clipboard or Email.

Image Editing Tools

Images beautify your document as well as attract traffic to the seller be it online or offline. It is always not possible to copy and paste an image as it is due to some copyright issues so one may have to take help of graphic designers. Running to graphic designers every now and then is not feasible so having a basic knowledge of image editing tools is mandatory.

Canva

With Canva, users can create designs without any prior design experience, and it is aimed at individuals, small businesses and teams. It offers a range of features including a drag-and-drop interface, a library of templates and a library of over 60 million stock photos, graphics and icons. 

Vista Create

Vista Create is one of the most popular image editing tools in the market. It’s great for fast and easy designs and they have a wide variety of templates and designs one can choose from. One can take help from them to create designs that are the highlight points of a business as it’s very easy to use. Vista Create works for both digital and print, so that you can make business cards, flyers, posters, postcards and other printable in one place.

PicMonkey

Technical Writers want crystal clear and high production images to get the audience to understand their point of view. For this purpose PicMonkey is a perfect choice they opt for these days. Various touch up features are available with new photos. Also, you can easily start a new design from scratch or with a preset template. It overall provides actual photo editing ability.

Snappa

One of the best features Snappa offers is Social Media Scheduling tool. Snappa has countless high quality templates to choose from. Additionally, Snappa provides a simple way to export and share designs, making it an efficient tool for content creators, marketers and businesses.

Publishing Tools

The last step after writing a piece of technical documentation is to publish it at some platform in the public domain. The following are the tools for publishing your hard developed document:

Document 360

Document 360 is a knowledge management and customer support platform that helps businesses organize and share information with their customers and employees. It allows creating and publishing articles, FAQs, tutorials and also provides features for managing customer interactions, feedback and requests.

Adobe FrameMaker

Adobe Framemaker is a professional document authoring and publishing tool used by editors, technical writers and content creators worldwide. It offers features for creating, editing and formatting long, complex documents such as technical manuals, books and reports. Some of its features include support for structured authoring, multi-channel publishing and integration with other Adobe tools.

Adobe RoboHelp

Robohelp is widely used for creating software documentation and help content for both desktop and mobile platforms. The software features tools for authoring, collaboration and publishing, making it a comprehensive solution for technical writing and content management.

Plagiarism Checker Tools

In any form of writing be it general or technical, checking for copied content is a must. It is not possible for any search engine to check the same for you and provide you with results after checking various articles, databases and web pages. To solve this issue,  various tools are available to check Plagiarism in your final written content. We are listing these tools below: 

Grammarly as a plagiarism checker 

Grammarly is specifically designed for detecting grammatical errors and spelling mistakes as it is very much clear from its name. But it has an added feature of checking plagiarism for the text written and grammarly will highlight if it detects any signs of matching content. This tool is commonly used by professionals, writers and students. 

CopyScape

Copyscape is a plagiarism detection tool that allows users to check if content is original and not copied from other sources. It compares the content in question to an extensive database of web pages and reports any instances of matching or similar content. Copyscape is often used by website owners, content creators and publishers to ensure the originality of their content and protect against copyright infringement.

Turnitin

Turnitin is a web based plagiarism detector that is used to check a student’s paper against a database of other academic papers as well as other content on the internet to observe any copied writing. This tool is widely used by educational institutions, teachers as well as students to assess the originality of the offered work and point out instances of plagiarism. 

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is an online tool that helps writers improve their writing skills. It includes a wide range of features including grammar check, style check, thesaurus and many such features to improve the writing skills of an individual. It offers both a paid and free version of its service. It can be used to write various forms of content like essays, fiction and articles. 

Conclusion

In a nutshell, it is worth mentioning that technical writing is a very broad subject which is not limited to a specific field or industry and they are solely responsible for generating proper documentation. It is also quite imperative to state that a number of tools are available in the market and should be chosen based on the need and approach of the features offered by them.

“Choose a tool wisely according to your needs and let your businesses  flourish manifold”

If you need any assistance regarding technical writing, then you can contact APPWRK as we have more than a decade of experience in providing technical writing services.

Related Links:

• Types of Technical Writing
• Why Content Marketing is important for your business?
• What are the Characteristics of Technical Writing?