Re: Lone Technical Writer

["Dawson McKnight" <dawson_mcknight -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

Virginia,

I'm in a similar situation, except that I am not responsible for QA (thank 
God!).

My main bit of advice is that you should be realistic about what you can 
accomplish, and make sure that you communicate that realism very publicly.  
If you can't realistically write all of the documentation you are being 
asked to write, make sure that everyone knows it.  But don't just present it 
as a problem without a solution.  Offer alternative approaches and detailed 
plans for getting the work done.  You may have to act more as a 
documentation coordinator on some projects, organizing teams of non-writers 
within your company to get documentation projects done.

That is not unheard of, particularly if you make the analogy to a proposal 
development situation.  Typically, in proposal development, proposal 
coordinator or manager's job is to gather input from technical experts, 
financial experts, and other SMEs to come up with a complete proposal.  Each 
expert is typically responsible for writing a section or chapter.  In many 
situations, this isn't the full-time job of the experts, but they are doing 
it to contribute to an overall goal that the company has of getting new 
business.

Also, work hard to meet your deadlines and be sure to let everyone know what 
you are working on and how you're spending your time.  People will tend to 
think that documentation is your realm and that somehow it will all 
magically get done by you (and you alone).  Making everyone aware that you 
are working hard to contribute what you can realistically contribute will 
protect you from finger-pointing from co-workers who don't understand the 
constraints you are under.

Keep positive!  You aren't the only one in your situation.  At least you 
know that you are fulfilling a necessary function in your company. :)

Dawson

Virginia Kathleen Eaton <soccer -at- bonzai -dot- net>