Re: FWD: Scenario: You're hired a new writer...

[Anita Collins <acollins -at- ROCKTENN -dot- COM>]

It sounds to me (and I'm reading a lot into your message, so ignore this if
it's off base) that you may not be happy with the performance of the writer
in question, and you're wondering whether to write it off to lack of
experience or perhaps to lack of direction.  I'd just ask myself, Was the
writer's work careless and sloppy, or did he or she make a really good
effort at the wrong things?  Did the writer take initiative to ask
questions and try to understand what was expected of them, or is he or she
putting the blame entirely on your shoulders?

<snip>if the writer isn't up to the job then I feel that it's the hirer's
fault.<end snip>

Sometimes this is true, sometimes it's not.  Some people simply do not try.
I've hired four writers with very little experience.  Three of them are now
excellent writers, mostly because they were (and still are) interested in
learning.  They ask questions, they work well together, and they're always
learning new things.  The fourth I hired never tried very hard.  The writer
didn't learn from being edited (and in fact, resented being edited), was
careless in making editing changes, didn't listen to instructions, and in
general did a sloppy job.  Fortunately the writer moved on after only seven
months (for more money), and I replaced the person with someone wonderful.
I've made plenty of mistakes as a manager, but sometimes it IS the other
person's fault.