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Subject:RE: rewriting versus writing from scratch? From:"Susan W. Gallagher" <sgallagher -at- kinzan -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 28 Nov 2000 16:36:48 -0800
Stina Lane-Cummings asks:
> ... We're at a crossroads
> where we can make a decision about who writes white papers...
> There are two thoughts:
>
> - Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) should write...
> I don't like this idea...
>
> ... writers should write from scratch, using the SMEs as
> clients/consultants, because it's faster for both parties...
>
> Have you experienced a situation like this? What else should
> I be thinking
> about? What kinds of hybrid scenarios make sense?
<test case snipped>
Here in the wonderful world of API docs and programmer tools, there
are lots of times when I can't even begin to start writing about the
subject at hand. We call 'em SMEs for a reason! <g> And there are
times when you absolutely need them to dump out some of the knowledge
they hold in their heads. But if I've learned one thing over the
years, it's this: Never hand a SME a blank piece of paper! ;-)
What I do is invite the SME to my office. I sit at the computer
with Word in outline view and ask questions, building an outline
as I go. Once the SME and I agree on the basic strucutre of the
document, I relinquish the outline and let the SME enter text
under the headings we've created together.
The writing job becomes much easier for the SME. With a roadmap
to follow, there's not as much opportunity for the SME to create
a document that wanders, gets repetitive, or offers too much of the
wrong kinds of information. Because the document is already
structured appropriately, the editing job becomes a lot easier,
too.
HTH!
Sue Gallagher
sgallagher -at- kinzan -dot- com
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