[Author Prev][Author Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]
[Author Index (this month)][Thread Index (this month)][Top of Archive]

Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions

Subject: Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions
From: "Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>
To: <beelia -at- pacbell -dot- net>, "Ed" <glassnet -at- gmail -dot- com>
Date: Sun, 7 Aug 2011 20:00:07 -0700

I suspect this is one of those YMMV things. For me it's a positive because I choose to see it as one and try to make it work to my advantage.

Unfortunately, it's also possible that the statement in question has a different tone when it begins with "he" rather than "she."

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message ----- From: "beelia" <beelia -at- gmail -dot- com>


In my experience, when someone says "make it pretty", he is telling
the company how important and clever he is, and how insignificant the
contribution of the tech writer is.

Gene, I rarely disagree with you, but you're missing the patronizing
tone that usually accompanies "she makes me dot my i's and t's". What
he really means that his i's and t's are about as important as washing
his socks.

By "pretty", they mean that the content is perfect, but it isn't in
the company format - or he doesn't know how to number the pages and
put in headers and footers.

Usually these guys (and they are always guys) are really insecure, do
mediocre work, and their documents are so bad they need a total
rewrite.

Whenever I hear "make it pretty" I don't get mad - I just lose respect
for that person and try to avoid working with him (because I might end
up doing his job and not getting credit for it).

I spent decades letting stuff like this slide because I needed the
job. Considering the unemployment rate, I guess that might qualify as
being "in a pretty good place."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create and publish documentation through multiple channels with Doc-To-Help.
Choose your authoring formats and get any output you may need. Try
Doc-To-Help, now with MS SharePoint integration, free for 30-days.
http://www.doctohelp.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.

Please move off-topic discussions to the Chat list, at:
http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/listinfo/techwr-l-chat

Follow-Ups:

References:
Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions: From: Ed
Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions: From: beelia

Previous by Author: RE: FrameMaker 10 trial removes my Acrobat installation?
Next by Author: Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions
Previous by Thread: Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions
Next by Thread: Re: Anyone Can Write - Just Look At The Job Descriptions

[Top of Archive] | [Author Index (this month)] | [Thread Index (this month)]

What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:

Sponsored Ads