If you have a flair for the English language, are adept at writing a logical article and can present a complex problem in a simple straight through manner, then you have all the essentials of being a good technical writer (or a business writer as I like to call but Google Keywords begs to differ !)
You don’t have to be a creative writer (poetry, fiction) to make a good living from writing. There are ample writing opportunities within the freelance technical writing space as well. From writing news summaries, brochures, manuals, training material, process notes, to academic papers, reports, business proposals, product launches there is a vast array of freelance technical / business writing assignments to choose from.
That having said, technical writing does not necessarily have to mean an information overload for the reader. A skilled technical writer will draw on current events to make the information contained in the article relevant. Add a dash of humor. Depending on what the client permits, a conversationalist style can make the piece engaging, easy to read!
But since as a technical writer you are more likely to be working for someone, to be successful at it you need to be extremely professional in your dealings. First and foremost that means being punctual. In fact delivering the content sooner than committed is bound to win you some fans! Be comprehensive in your research and present the information in a logical manner. Pictorial depictions always help the cognitive memory, so use them where possible.
The boundaries of ‘formality’ are no longer as staunch as they were once perhaps in the corporate space. Most technical writing pieces will offer you a degree of flexibility. Use that opportunity effectively to add a creative touch to your piece, much like a cherry on a creamy dessert!