FWD: wording for training materials

Subject: FWD: wording for training materials
From: Anonymous <anonfwd -at- raycomm -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2002 13:43:39 -0600 (MDT)



&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Forwarded anonymously on request. Please reply to the
list if you want the original poster to see your message. EJR
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&


I've been reading the "wording for training materials" thread with
interest because of some issues I'm currently grappling with.


Background:
I've been a technical writer for several years. During most of this time I
have been a lone writer, but occasionally I have been part of a small
group. Currently, I am the lead writer/editor of our group. The other
writers do not report to me, but I edit their work and enforce our style
guide.


Issue:
Right now, I only edit a doc once -- after the writer has created a
complete draft. I edit it, the writer makes the changes, then the writer
sends the draft to the SMEs for review. This procedure was established due
to the huge amount of work we are struggling to work through. However, it
has come to my attention that a couple of the writers are not making the
editing changes as they should, and docs are being published with errors.

One writer is brilliant but sloppy -- doesn't even run the spellchecker
(although I've requested it repeatedly). This writer appreciates my
editorial input and accepts the changes, but invariably misses some
changes, and introduces more grammatical and spelling errors into the
document when making other changes.

Another writer is a junior, still working on improving basic writing
skills while also learning our products well enough to write about them
intelligently. This writer also invariably misses some changes, but also
deliberately ignores others, claiming not to understand why the original
text requires correction. (This, after repeated explanations and referrals
to the style guide, dictionary, and grammar guides available in-house.)

The other writers are fine, either accepting my changes as is, or querying
me as needed.


Questions:

1. I expect that a writer, whether a junior or a senior, should be able to
make all the editing changes marked on a document without missing several.
Is this really too much to expect?

2. For those of you who have an editor (or are the editor), how many
editing passes typically occur? Does the editor typically perform a final
pass on each doc before it is published? Is the editor expected to sign
off on each doc before it is published?

3. Also for those of you who have an editor, is the editor's role clearly
defined? In other words, is it clearly stated that the editor has final
say on editing issues, and that writers must adhere to the editor's
corrections?

4. Others have stated that writers who deliberately ignore changes
requested by the editor should be reprimanded. (Note: this action has been
recommended when the editor is the manager, or when it is clearly
understood that the editor has final say.) How is this typically handled
in your group? Does the editor/manager pull the writer aside and say "hey,
Joe, you need to start making those editorial changes"? Is the writer's
work then carefully monitored for the next few projects? How *do* you
handle this without crossing the line into dictatorship?


(Disclaimer:
I am not an editing tyrant. I carefully weigh all of my comments for
objectivity, asking myself if something is truly incorrect or if it is
merely a preference on my part. I make a point of marking which changes
are required and which are simply suggestions. I discuss the edits with
the writers and ask them to come to me if there are any disagreements or
questions. The style guide is also open to discussion and is changed when
all writers agree that the change is warranted.)

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Forwarded anonymously on request. Please reply to the
list if you want the original poster to see your message. EJR
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Buy ComponentOne Doc-To-Help 6.0, the most powerful SINGLE SOURCE HELP
AUTHORING TOOL for MS Word. SAVE $100 on the full version and $50 on the
upgrade. Offer ends 10/31/2002 (code: DTH102250).
http://www.componentone.com/d2hlist1002

All-new RoboHelp X3 is now shipping! Get single sourcing, print-quality
documentation, conditional text and much more, in the most monumental
release ever. Save $100! Order online at http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



Follow-Ups:

Previous by Author: Re: Having a killer resume
Next by Author: Re: Yahoo has no... (nuclear)
Previous by Thread: Re: wording for training materials
Next by Thread: Re: wording for training materials


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads