Re[2]: Productivity of Technical Writers

[Vince Putman <PUTMV -at- MAIL -dot- SYNTRON -dot- COM>]

     Howard,

     Your experiences are shared by many.  What can we TECHWR-L people do about
     this form of disrespect?  It makes you wonder, at times like you describe,
     if its worth it, right?

        Vince Putman in Houston  | Most people think new ideas are just
        putmv -at- mail -dot- syntron -dot- com   |   a criticism of the old ways!!
        713-647-7223 FAX 579-7709|   Eschew Gratuitous Obfuscation


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Subject: Re: Productivity of Technical Writers
Author:  howardg -at- SAVVY -dot- COM at INTERNET_MAIL
Date:    3/13/95 7:57 AM


>>I don't know how everyone else goes about it, but when I'm assigned the
task of writing something, I spend a lot of time "processing" the
information.  During that time I look like I'm doing nothing.  Then
something clicks and I start writing.  At that point, it all sort of
"gushes" out.  During that time you can't get me off the computer to save
my life.  I often type until the wee hours . . . it helps to have a
machine at home *grin* .

Of course! Management loves having a 250 book completed in 30 days. But I
get annoyed -- okay, mad -- when bosses complain that I'm_socializing_.
I'm a staff of one, so when I need input or clarification I need to see an
 engineer, QA
tester or manager. I also, from time to time, need to take a break to
talk about tea and weather. If a programmer on a team sips his coffee to
chat with a team-mate, that's okay. When I talk to ANYBODY about
ANYTHING, I have to justify it. Well, I'm supposed to justify it, but I
don't. I just hand over the latest document and go back to the coffee
machine.

I guess we just have to LOOK busier -- what a friend mine has called
_face-time_ (putting your face in the tube when a boss strolls by).

-Howard Gold            howardg -at- savvy -dot- com