It's a fancy way of describing writing, editing, and other tasks typically required to produce formal documentation for products or services. I've been working as a technical writer, lead writer, or writing manager for over 20 years. Over that span, the tools have changed dramatically, but the job is still one that requires attention to detail, organizational ability, and writing skills.
If you have a hardware or software product that needs to be explained to your customers, I can provide basic or in-depth information for print or online delivery (online help or PDF).
Technical writing is perhaps the worst training ground for creative writers. Instead of polishing the descriptive abilities, technical writing is the process of whittling down the prose and sanding off the decoration. A good technical writer writes instructions or descriptions that (ideally) barely even register as you read the words — because the words are merely the carriers of the information you need. If you notice the words as words, you’re being distracted from the primary goal of the reader: getting the information as quickly and as clearly as possible.
Drop me an email at nicholas@russon.ca and I'll be happy to discuss your technical writing needs.