Re: Writing Corrective Actions for customers?

[Ned Bedinger <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com>]

Gene Kim-Eng wrote:
> There is certainly nothing wrong with a contractor choosing
> to turn down a contract, or choosing not to do a particular
> kind of work.  The difference is between "I don't do that
> type of work" and "what kind of underhanded trick are
> you trying to pull on me, that's not proper work for a
> technical writer," as voiced by several posters in this
> thread. If the distinction between these two attitudes is
> not immediately evident, we'll just have to agree never
> to discuss potential contracts in the future.

My reading of the response you're referring to was a little less 
judgemental, but I am looking at this as an individual who owns the 
responsibilty for what I say and do, not a manager who will have to pick 
up the slack if I bail or beg off of an assignment that touches the 
wrong nerve for me.

The poster said he is an individual who feels that the workplace can be 
opaque and boobytrapped with pitfalls (minefield was the expression). 
He's not delusional, the workplace CAN be a real snakepit. When he 
wonders why such Public Relations (not CRM, I would guess he meant) work 
suddenly gets routed to him, I see critical thinking. I think he's wise 
to follow his instincts in hoping to avoid the vicissitudes of being 
exposed to every drib or drab of the stuff that runs downhill. With no 
one else watching his six o'clock position, he's entirely right to fret.

Honestly, one can understand the need for a technical writer without 
abandoning the self-preservation instinct, and I think that's what the 
correspondent was trying to say, if from the hip.

Hope this helps,

--Ned "could have been a mouthiece"

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