RE: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions

Subject: RE: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions
From: "Cardimon, Craig" <ccardimon -at- M-S-G -dot- com>
To: 'Gene Kim-Eng' <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>, "'beelia -at- pacbell -dot- net'" <beelia -at- pacbell -dot- net>, 'Ed' <glassnet -at- gmail -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2011 12:12:09 +0000

I also try to use such things to my advantage. Many people simply don't understand what we do. If someone asks me to "make it pretty," I may do one of two things. I might ask them if they want me to edit it. Some people get it. Some are scared that you will put words in their mouth. I might ask them if they want me to work my editorial magic on it. Most are okay with that phrasing.

Craig

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+ccardimon=m-s-g -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Gene Kim-Eng
Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2011 11:00 PM
To: beelia -at- pacbell -dot- net; Ed
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions

I suspect this is one of those YMMV things. For me it's a positive because I
choose to see it as one and try to make it work to my advantage.

Unfortunately, it's also possible that the statement in question has a different
tone when it begins with "he" rather than "she."

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message -----
From: "beelia" <beelia -at- gmail -dot- com>


> In my experience, when someone says "make it pretty", he is telling
> the company how important and clever he is, and how insignificant the
> contribution of the tech writer is.

> Gene, I rarely disagree with you, but you're missing the patronizing
> tone that usually accompanies "she makes me dot my i's and t's". What
> he really means that his i's and t's are about as important as washing
> his socks.

> By "pretty", they mean that the content is perfect, but it isn't in
> the company format - or he doesn't know how to number the pages and
> put in headers and footers.
>
> Usually these guys (and they are always guys) are really insecure, do
> mediocre work, and their documents are so bad they need a total
> rewrite.
>
> Whenever I hear "make it pretty" I don't get mad - I just lose respect
> for that person and try to avoid working with him (because I might end
> up doing his job and not getting credit for it).
>
> I spent decades letting stuff like this slide because I needed the
> job. Considering the unemployment rate, I guess that might qualify as
> being "in a pretty good place."

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Follow-Ups:

References:
Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions: From: Ed
Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions: From: beelia
Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions: From: Gene Kim-Eng

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