Re: Honestly -- when an SME completely REWRITES your text ... GEEZ!

["John Posada" <jposada99 -at- gmail -dot- com>]

> Probably... Correct, accurate writing from an SME in a less-than-ideal
> format is far better than some erroneous, but better-written, pap
> authored by a TW.
>> - Angry with him for not keeping his place and trying to usurp my role.
>> Hey, I'M the writer.
>
> Besides, that component of the document he entirely rewrote was probably
> but a few pages long relative to the entire document. So, live with it
> and just make his writings conform to the style and format guidelines,
> much as in the role of an editor.

I will say that the writer has more of a role in a situation like this
than simply make sure it complies with a style guide.

My experience has been that in many cases, the SME, because he knows
more, will include it. However, it may be that the context of the
document does not require the full depth of what he wrote. Sometimes
SMEs include too much "what", when what we need in the document is
more "how". For instrance, in an installation procedure, it may not be
the proper place to explain something when it may be more appropriate
to explain it in the configuration guide or the API documenrt.

Often, I have to remove 10-25% of the details because they are not
required for the context of the manual, though I will keep his content
around ikn the event I find a more appropriate place for it. However,
after I do, I'll send it back to the SME to review to make sure I
didn't distort the meaning.

-- 
John Posada
Senior Technical Writer
NYMetro STC President

'Half this game is ninety percent mental.'
     -- Danny Ozark, Philadelphia Phillies manager
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