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Re: What Would You Do with a Writer Who Can't Write?
Subject:Re: What Would You Do with a Writer Who Can't Write? From:"Mike O." <obie1121 -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 29 Apr 2003 05:52:09 -0700 (PDT)
Doug Duplessis wrote:
> Copy and technical edits are taking more time than I can spare...
> For some of his work, it is less time for me to rewrite the entire
> topic than to edit and return to him to put in changes (most of
> which he ignores)
Why are you editing his work? Let it stand on its own, and use your
time to write original content.
If you just stop reading this guy's work, then his continued presence
shouldn't affect you at all. Strategies that end with the bad writer
getting fired sound attractive, but probably wouldn't affect how you do
your job.
If you can write 184 topics while editing his 24, just skip the editing
and write all the topics yourself.
> Despite agreeing to the project style sheet, he consistently
> ignores it.
Uh-oh, I'm starting to like this guy!! Oh, I guess you mean he ignores
it "not in a good way."
> He can't write a procedure, he can't use consistent language.
> He doesn't know the product we're working on and he doesn't
> know much beyond basic MS Word. I'm contracting and he was
> recently hired full-time...
> I should mention that there is no documentation manager; we're
> managed by an overtasked development manager who thinks technical
> writers just "pretty up" things. (His words.)
OK... next time we have a thread about "What employers/recruiters are
looking for" we should all come back and reread this story.
On a practical note:
- Can you get involved with a different manager?
- Can you discreetly discuss the situation with somebody in sales?
Mike O.
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