TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:RE: HUMOR: I Need Help From:"Carnall, Jane" <Jane -dot- Carnall -at- compaq -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 20 Feb 2001 13:18:28 -0000
Arlen.P.Walker wrote:
>Answers always take longer than questions; that's the nature of the beast.
>When you ask an ill-formed question, you are announcing to the world that
>your own time is more important than mine, because you didn't have the time
>to even frame a good question, while you expect me to take the time to
>frame a good answer. Not even Dale Carnegie can pull you out of *that*
>hole.
>How you ask your question is just as important as what the question is.
Absolutely true. But it does take *practice* to frame your question in the
right way. A little while ago I joined a list that provides answers to
medical questions for fiction writers, started by a small group of
experienced medical professionals who were *very* tired of reading stories
in which someone gets shot with X gun one minute and is up and at 'em the
next. I read the guidelines, which recommended asking specific, detailed
questions. I framed my questions (one about aspirin, the other about broken
ankles). I got not a single response: then I tried an unspecific nondetailed
question, got a couple of interested "More details", and eventually got an
answer. The first two questions had been *too* detailed: people reading them
had given up. Asking a nonspecific obviously "newbie" question got
attention, and then I asked a question with the right amount of detail to
get a good answer. I now have a better idea how to use that resource when I
need an answer.
>A roomful of 4000 writers is *not* a mentor. If you're going to shout in
the
>face of 4000 writers, make the questions polite, succinct, and specific,
>and don't throw a tantrum if you don't get the answer you want.
I've never seen any newbie throw a tantrum on this list for not getting the
answer they wanted. (I've seen several experienced and long-term users throw
tantrums for the list not *being* what they want, and a few months ago I
switched from digest to individual e-mails so that I could send e-mails from
a regular tantrum-thrower direct to the Deleted Items folder.)
Be gentle with newbies: you never know where they've been... <g>
Jane Carnall
Technical Writer, Compaq, UK
Unless stated otherwise, these opinions are mine, and mine alone.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Develop HTML-Based Help with Macromedia Dreamweaver 4 ($100 STC Discount)
**WEST COAST LOCATIONS** San Jose (Mar 1-2), San Francisco (Apr 16-17) http://www.weisner.com/training/dreamweaver_help.htm or 800-646-9989.
Sponsored by ForeFront, Inc., maker of ForeHelp Help authoring tools
for print, WinHelp, HTML Help, JavaHelp, and cross-platform InterHelp
See www.forehelp.com for more information and free evaluation downloads
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
