Re: Honestly -- when an SME completely REWRITES your text ... GEEZ!

[Janice Gelb <Janice -dot- Gelb -at- Sun -dot- COM>]

Downing, David wrote:
> The other day, I held a document review meeting, and one of the SMEs
> told me I needed to rewrite the description of a particular function to
> clarify it. Okay, fair enough. I rewrite the passages (and made various
> other revisions from the meeting) and sent out the revised text to
> everyone. I got an email back from this particular SME this morning in
> which he completely rewrite the function description for me. I'm not
> sure whether to be
> 
> - Grateful to him for trying to be helpful.
> 
> - Angry with him for not keeping his place and trying to usurp my role.
> Hey, I'M the writer.
> 
> - Insulted, because he's decided I can't write. Rather than telling me
> the passage heeds further clarification, he's thrown up his hands and
> just said, "Looks like I need to write this for him."
> 
> One thing's for sure -- what he wrote does NOT conform to our
> departmental style.
> 

"Thanks very much for taking the time to provide
a new function description. I noted that your text
<clarifies/adds these specific technical fixes>.
However, for future reviews, please note that
our company adheres to strict documentation
guidelines so explaining specific technical changes
that you'd like to see incorporated in the text
rather than spending your valuable time rewriting
sections that have to be modified is a more efficient
review strategy.

"I do appreciate your feedback and attention to detail."

-- Janice

***********************************************************
Janice Gelb          | The only connection Sun has with
janice -dot- gelb -at- sun -dot- com  | this message is the return address


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