Re: Editing comments too harsh?

[Chris Hamilton <chamilton -at- GR -dot- COM>]

I have to echo Eric's comments about ink color.  I know it seems like a
silly little thing, but I even react better to comments written in a
color other than red. I agree with Eric on giving reasons for your
changes, too.

The only thing I have to add is that maybe the problem isn't with the
comments themselves. Maybe there's a perception problem. You know that
you're just doing your job and trying to make the writing better. But if
you don't go and physically interact with the engineers, they might not
know that. Maybe you spend a lot of time talking with the engineers and
getting to know them, but if you don't, you should. Both you and they
have different agendas and understanding each other's agendas can take
away a lot of the bad feelings.

This might sound a little trite, but go back to comments you made
several months ago, if you have them. Those comments should be old
enough that you'll be reading them fresh. Then imagine that you wrote
the piece and someone else edited it. How would you feel if you got
those comments back?

Finally, you might consider going to them and asking them about it.
Maybe there are just a few specific things that raise their hackles. At
the very least, you'll be showing that you care about their preception
and that can't hurt.

Good luck.

--
Chris Hamilton, Technical Writer
Greenbrier and Russel
chamilton -at- gr -dot- com
847.330.4146
-----------------------------
From way downtown, !

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