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Snip <<I've made revisions to other manuals that I didn't originally write.
But nevertheless, I found it rather disconcerting to have someone revising
one of "my" manuals.>>
So you have a double standard, eh? You feel violated if someone corrects
your work, but it's ok if you correct someone else's work?!?
It took me a long time to get over this very issue. Today, it only hurts
when the person who corrects my work takes full credit for the completed
document.
As a result, I respect honesty. I have a regular client who has told me that
they will be making minor corrections any document that I create for them.
However, the same client has also told me that all major corrections will be
sent to me. In looking over a typical document, I can see which parts are
mine and which parts are not. After a while of this, the client told me that
when it's my turn on a document, it's ok to modify the previous corrections
to match my style. How about that?
Be seeing you,
Will
=========================================
Will Husa
Technical Writer
Your source for user friendly documentation, user manuals, and HTML help.
Phone: 708-927-3569
Fax: 630-668-9283
www.4techwriter.com
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+will -dot- husa=4techwriter -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+will -dot- husa=4techwriter -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Downing, David
Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 12:06 PM
To: TECHWR-L Writing
Subject: Hey! She messed with *my* manual
I was wondering whether anybody else here ever had the same reaction I just
had in a similar situation.
Our document set includes several manuals that I originally wrote, that have
been around for many years, and that I have always revised when required.
Well this time around, someone else in the documentation department was
called upon to revise one of these manuals. Since it was one of mine, I
offered to assist her if need be. But I just found out at today's
departmental meeting that she was able to make the revisions without any
consultation from me.
Now I realize that when you work for a company, as part of a documentation
department, no one person in the department owns a manual, and furthermore,
I've made revisions to other manuals that I didn't originally write. But
nevertheless, I found it rather disconcerting to have someone revising one
of "my" manuals.
Is that a feeling anybody else has had?
David Downing
Senior Technical Writer
Credit Union Solutions
Fiserv
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ComponentOne Doc-To-Help 2009 is your all-in-one authoring and publishing
solution. Author in Doc-To-Help's XML-based editor, Microsoft Word or
HTML and publish to the Web, Help systems or printed manuals. http://www.doctohelp.com
Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/
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