RE: What is a reasonable training period for newbie writers?

[Krista Van Laan <KVanlaan -at- verisign -dot- com>]

In response to Bruce Byfield's post:

<Regarding how you can tell if someone's going to work out when
they have no previous experience>

> It's not a science. But I would consider (in no particular order)
> such things as: 
> - How quick or willing are they to learn? 
> - Do they show any interest in learning their subject? 
> - Can they work on their own? 
> - Can they deal with shifting agendas? 
> - What is the quality of their finished work? 
> - How long do they take to finish their work?
> - What sort of mistakes to they make? 
> - How do they react when they make mistakes: by reassigning blame?
> Solving the problem? Ignoring it? Do they remake mistakes?
 
It would be nice if it were a science, wouldn't it? This is a good
list, though.

> > I can't even imagine that a person with zero experience in
> > tech writing could go into contracting or into being a lone
> > writer in the first place.
> > 
> 
> I did. 
> 
> It was scary, exciting, frustrating and exhilarating all at once,
> and I probably wouldn't have done it if I hadn't been ignorant of
> what I was getting into. I made mistakes, and I also took some
> fairly low end jobs, including some where I had to push to get paid.
> But, after six months, I could handle anything that was likely to be
> thrown at me on the job.
> 
> I know one or two other people who jumped into the deep end the same
> way. Each became experienced very quickly, and one of them was the
> best sub-contractor or employee whom I've ever hired. If they
> hadn't, they wouldn't have survived.

That kind of immersion is probably good for a new tech
writer who joins an existing writing group, too. Maybe too much
hand-holding delays the eventual realization that things aren't
working out.

Krista 

================================================
Krista Van Laan
Documentation Manager   
VeriSign, Inc.  http://www.verisign.com
1350 Charleston Road    Mountain View, CA 94043    
tel: (650) 429-5158    fax: (650) 961-7300

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