Mara Dipper

With over a decade spent translating complexity into clarity, I craft documentation that serves its readers — not its authors. Good technical writing is invisible: the user finds what they need, accomplishes what they came to do, and moves on with confidence.

I work primarily with software companies, research institutions, and hardware manufacturers — anywhere the gap between subject-matter experts and end users requires a careful, considered hand. My process involves close collaboration with engineers, product managers, and designers to produce materials that are not merely accurate but genuinely usable.

Before becoming a full-time independent writer, I spent several years embedded within engineering teams. This gave me an unusual literacy in technical subjects alongside a persistent habit of asking "but why would someone actually need this information?"

I am available for project-based engagements, ongoing retainer relationships, and short-term documentation audits.

The following represents the range of work I undertake. Most engagements draw on several of these disciplines simultaneously.

Technical Documentation

Comprehensive product documentation, from initial architecture through final publication. Hardware manuals, software guides, installation procedures, and reference materials structured for long-term maintenance.

API & Developer Documentation

Clear, complete references for REST and GraphQL APIs; SDK guides; code samples; quickstart tutorials. Written with the developer experience in mind — precise enough to be trusted, accessible enough to reduce support load.

User Guides & Help Systems

End-user documentation for web and desktop applications. Task-oriented writing that meets users where they are, structured for both linear reading and contextual lookup.

Content Strategy & Information Architecture

Audit and restructuring of existing documentation sets. Taxonomy design, style guide development, and toolchain recommendations for teams building practices from the ground up.

Editing & Review

Substantive editing, copyediting, and consistency review for technical documents authored by engineers or subject-matter experts. Sensitive to technical accuracy; committed to plain language.

Every engagement begins with listening. Before a word is written, I need to understand not just the subject matter, but the audience, the context, and the constraints that shaped the product itself.

1. i.

   Discovery

   Initial conversations with stakeholders, engineers, and where possible, end users. I read existing materials, audit current documentation, and identify gaps before any writing begins.

2. ii.

   Architecture

   Before writing, I draft an information architecture: what documents are needed, how they relate, who reads each one, and in what context. Agreement here prevents rework later.

3. iii.

   Draft & Review

   Writing proceeds in close collaboration with subject-matter experts. I circulate drafts early and often, preferring many small reviews over single large approval cycles.

4. iv.

   Delivery & Handoff

   Final documentation is delivered in your preferred format and toolchain. I include style guides, templates, and contributor notes to support ongoing maintenance without my involvement.

A selection of representative engagements. Client names withheld by agreement unless otherwise noted.

• API Documentation 2024

  Data Platform Reference Suite

  Complete reference documentation for a financial data platform serving institutional clients. Endpoint reference, authentication guide, rate-limiting documentation, and a multi-language quickstart series. Reduced support ticket volume by approximately 40% in the first quarter following publication.

• Regulatory Documentation 2023

  Medical Device Software Guide

  IEC 82079-1 compliant user documentation for a point-of-care diagnostic device. Coordinated with regulatory affairs, hardware engineering, and clinical teams across seven languages; managed translation memory and localization workflow throughout.

• Content Strategy 2023

  Help Center Overhaul — SaaS Platform

  Audit and restructure of a 400-article help center for a project management platform. Developed new information architecture, style guide, and a contributed template system. Migrated content from legacy CMS to a docs-as-code workflow.

• Technical Manual 2022

  Industrial Control System Documentation

  Installation, configuration, and maintenance documentation for a distributed industrial control system. Embedded with the engineering team for six months; produced a 340-page technical reference and accompanying quick-reference cards.

• Mara has an exceptional ability to make complex systems legible without losing precision. Our API documentation went from something engineers apologised for to something they were proud to share.

  Director of Engineering Financial Data Platform, 2024

• What struck me most was how thoroughly she understood our users' perspective — often better than we did. The resulting documentation dramatically reduced onboarding time for new accounts.

  Head of Product SaaS Platform, 2023

• Working with a writer who could read our schematics and explain them to a clinical audience was invaluable. Regulatory review went more smoothly than any previous submission.

  VP of Regulatory Affairs Medical Device Manufacturer, 2023