TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Pulling My Hair Out From:"Westra, Kayla L." <13718westr -at- KCPBLDG01 -dot- BV -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 15 Aug 1994 07:47:00 CDT
Remember that writers are generally better about not taking editing marks
personally. Analytical personalities, such as engineers and accountants,
have more difficulty with gray area (i.e. all the rules of grammar and their
multitude of exceptions). Therefore, an editing mark to them means they did
something wrong. I've tried explaining to the engineers I work with that
their way is not necessarily wrong (even though sometimes it is!), but that
my way may help them say it clearer and more concisely. (They like to be
concise, you see!) Usually they don't fight me on the changes.
----------
From: TECHWR-L
To: Multiple recipients of list TECHWR-L
Subject: Pulling My Hair Out
Date: Friday, August 12, 1994 2:42PM
Good morning (I think),
I just have to vent...
I take pride in my career choice. I've worked hard to get
where I am. And I know a hell of a lot more about writing
than my engineer-boyfriend does and most other engineers, for
that matter!
So why is it that he asks me to review his resume and cover
letter and when I suggest changes he takes offense? He
actually got down-right snotty about it. And it's not
just him. It's lots of people. Does anyone understand
that this is what we do and that an edit mark is not
a cut-down?
OK, my boyfriend likes to think he knows a lot, and he
does, but not about writing. For the last four years
he's been tucked away in a chemistry lab doing chemical
"things". I cringe when he asks me to review something
he's written. I thought editing his cover letters
were bad, until he brought home a thirty-odd page
report for me to go through. It's not like I have
a vengeance for engineers or other techies. It's
just that if something is written wrong, I think
I should say, "Hey, this should be written more
like *this*. Makes it easier to read and understand."
OK, I feel better. Thanks for listening!
Shelly
larock -at- tycho -dot- arh -dot- cdc -dot- com
