Re: follow-up on "a simple question"

[Heather Achtziger <hachtziger -at- ROCKTENN -dot- COM>]

Randi --  I just want to commend you for doing the right thing.  I love
this field -- I'm getting my master's degree in it!  I have been fortunate
to have worked mostly with brilliant tech writers, from whom I've learned
volumes.  I've also worked with writers who wrote slovenly, sloppy
material, but they sure thought they were brilliant!  Some of these are
even in my degree program.  One careless, novice (7 months TOTAL tech
writing experience) and "really too brilliant for this job anyway" writer I
worked with swiped our writing samples and actually managed to snow some
tech writing manager sap at another company.  Now she's getting paid much
more than she's worth.

Anyway, because you did what you did, perhaps one more rotten writer will
be thinned from the herd.  I'm sick of bad writers weaseling their way into
this field, in effect not treating this field with the respect it deserves.
So, thank you, thank you, thank you!!




randi -at- NWLINK -dot- COM on 09/12/97 04:28:22 PM

Please respond to randi -at- nwlink -dot- com

To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
cc:    (bcc: Heather Achtziger/CORP/RKTN)
Subject:  follow-up on "a simple question"




Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who responded to my
dilemma!!!!
I edited a hardcopy of the document in question and presented it to the
client a few minutes ago.  He loved it!!
Not only did I find things that the client had missed when he edited it
himself, I also found things that had been marked but not changed by the
original writer.  The client is also letting me change the parataxical,
butt squinching paragraph.  YEA!!
I don't know how far this whole issue will go with the other writer
and the agency.  Meaning that I'm not saying anything to
either of them about it.  I have a feeling that the client won't either.
I won't talk to the writer about it for several reasons: 1) I'm the junior
writer, 2) I'm not here to do the documentation (however, good conscience
won't let it pass by), and 3) after the first day when he (the other
writer) jerked the mouse out of my hand in order to "show" me something I
wasn't quite grasping I've kept my distance.
For all of you who were concerned about my being paid for extra work done:
I'm being paid hourly, so you betcha I'm gonna be paid for this!! Also,
the deadline for the project has been pushed back so many times that I
have no idea what it actually is now.  As for my part, I'm just here to do
the job and be paid well for a job well done. *grin*
Again, I thank you!!!!
Randi
randi -at- nwlink -dot- com
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