One-Writer Army in the Workplace

When I was hired at the medical education company I started with in April 2011, my position was a new position, created for me. I actually felt a little flattered that I was the one hired to be the one-writer army. I was supposed to be the one to help everyone, that I would be made a central figure withint he Company, etc. New hires, sure, have high hopes. I was happy to be offered an opportunity to ply the trade in which I fit so well. I was the first professional writer hired, and I was supposed to help bring together the Company. I wanted to help everyone, as asked. I wanted to walk those crazy edges between departments and stitch them together in kum-ba-ya grammar harmony.

Instead, I found myself in a windowless cubicle - bane of office workers everywhere. Don't get me wrong, I adore my cube; I just miss daylight. I decorated it with the bamboo I eagerly purchased from Lowe's in 2007, and I got a new pot and fishtank stones for it from Home Depot. because I found it impossible not to ruin my back with the furniture available at work, I bought my own swivel chair so I wouldn't have to bug anyone (and when I get my compact Staples desk for my home office that I plan to assemble one bit at a time, I will replace my work chair with a new one so I can use the one I use now at home). Just this week, I got myself my "new friend" - a bright, cheery lamp from Gordman's. Yeah, I love my cube. I keep it tidy because it's the only place at work I am comfortable being for extended periods of time, since I work full time, 40 hours each week. I go to bed at 10 p.m. (except tonight, posting this), I wake between 6:30 and 7 a.m., and I start work at 8:30 a.m. (the joys of Flex Time, for which I took advantage of a mere half hour).

So, I have the job; I was even hired during my second-to-last semester of graduate school. I have great bosses and I work in an excellent environment. It's all forever growing on me, reality setting back in each day I enter through the front door and go to my desk. As the lone Professional Writer, though, it does get lonely. I'm not certain that others know just what it is that I do or how to work with me in the most effective manner.

A few survival tips, though they might be applicable for new hires generally:

1. Do not try to be the Next Best Thing Since Sliced Bread. You're not, really not. Even if others appreciate you on a level with sliced bread, you're still not. It does not matter how much your boss or coworkers love you. There is no shortcut, special privilege, anything, just because you can do what you do best. Behave as if you are entitled to respect, and you will see just how far that gets you. Yeah, respect as a human being is expected, but you can only prove you are as intelligent a worker as you claim.
2. On that note, proactively and strategically behave as if you are the Next Best Thing Since Sliced Bread. The way in which you present yourself within the workplace is a matter of self-worth and it will determine the ways in which you are promoted, received, and perceived within your work-sphere. So, behave with the utmost integrity and intelligence at all times. You are a one-writer army, and good soliders do not let down their guard, no matter how friendly the foe. I'm not saying your coworkers or your boss/supervisors are enemies, I just mean you must maintain your professional demeanor, because, remember - they work where you work.
3. Use email/documentation to your advantage. The more you can intelligently communicate via email, the better off you will be. Save electronic pay stubs in a safe place. Periodically update your supervisor with your (modified/censored) impressions of your time at work. You might not have to do these things, but my supervisor needs them due to time constraints. In some ways, I function as my supervisor's eyes/ears, in some ways I promote my supe's ideal writing goals, in other ways it's simply courteous for me to "touch base" with my supe (and so I do via an update email approximately 1/week). The key to this tip is to do so advantageously, strategically, intelligently.
   
   - Email only as much as you need, no more or less. Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
   
   - Email is forever. Never, ever, ever, ever forget that. Anyone in your Company can and will, at some time, read your messages. Always be polite.
   
   - Emails are artifacts, and may be used as evidence. This is useful for complaints and as proof, officially or within business concerns. Also, electronic pay stubs are great to file in a regular email folder - just Forward the email with your attached pay stub to your private email for an outside record. I also Delete my forward, and then I Empty my Deleted Folder each time I send anything to myself. You never know, though I'm not actually 100% how effective doing this is. (If anybody knows, please Comment! Otherwise, I'll find it for myself eventually.)
   
   - Finally, remember to ATTACH and CC as you should. Never forget to double check these parts of your email, or you will, one day like me, send 5 bad emails when you should have only sent 1 because you kept forgetting to Attach or CC something. I'll tell that little tale in another blog, soon.
4. Do not compete. If you happen to be one of those who thinks some others are "idiotic," they really aren't, and if you think you are allowed to think so, your attitude will get you bit in the rear at some point, sooner or later. So you think you're a better Technical Writer than the workers that have done the writing for the Company until now? Think again. They're not certified Professional Writers. But they have been professionally writing what was made into your new job. Learn from them instead, no matter how much you might believe you won't. You will.
5. So a coworker hates your guts, huh? Doesn't matter. Act as if you are their compadre. Allow yourself to believe you are their compadre. Win and progress as a member of their team. Prove yourself a valuable ally. Do these things, and your differences will fade faster than they developed. Again, always behave with integrity.

So, these are a few tips and things I have picked up and observed. I hope you find them helpful. Please Comment below if you have other tips!

Grant Proposals and Collaborative Writing

If I haven't said it before, I'll say it again: a really great book for writing grants is How to say it: Grantwriting by Deborah S. Koch. I recently completed helping write my second proposal at work, and use of that book blew my first proposal out of the water. It really takes you from the first page to the last and reviews what to expect and what you need to do.

More advice for grantwriting or any collaborative writing:

• As Technical Writter (read: Technical Communicator), maintain communication with all of the contributing members of your project. Facilitating this communication will help all members, and keep you central in the loop so you know what's going on. As you will probably be one of the primary writers of the proposal in question, this communication is essential.
• Be clear with what's necessary for the writing process. Others of your group may or may not be familiar with the writing process, but without somebody directing it, nobody will know what's necessary to crank it out. You're a writer; fill the role.
• At one point, negotiating control within a project came to question: How could one organization maintain its say in the proposal writing process? My answer: (1) full diclosure partnered with (2) anticipating solutions.

Full disclosure of drafts and other information associated with the project (except for confidential portions, such as a budget) will keep everyone involved, current, and engaged in the process. Make sure you update everybody with every version. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness, and you will keep the ball rolling steady.

When you anticipate solutions, you organize your thoughts on the outcome you want. When you know what you want, paired with collaborative effort that is kept current across the board, everyone is kept on the same page. There are no stragglers, nor can an incident in which somebody wants the "upper hand" develop because everyone already has the upper hand. So, just take this a step further and when you let the collaborating partner know what's going on, should there be an action to be taken, offer your solution first. Basically, you've already done the hard part in finding a solution, and the reciprocating party has merely to meet you halfway. Therefore, decisions become win-win for you both.

Overused phrase alert: Gold Standard

I'd like to present one of my new editor's pet peeves. In my reviews of medical literature for the literature reviews I write, I all too often encounter the phrase gold standard. There are a few reasons I would prefer never seeing this phrase used again, among them the fact that it is overused, and the fact that it is used redundantly, both within an article and throughout other articles I read.

What is a gold standard? According to The Concise Library of Economics, it is "a commitment by participating countries to fix the prices of their domestic currencies in terms of a specified amount of gold." Well, that has nothing to do with a medical practice. Here's another example, according to Wikipedia. Incredible.

So, the phrase has everything to do with a country's economics but nothing to do with medical standards? Yes, it's a reference to the "best practices" within medical care, but it is incorrectly used. One might even say it has bad parallelism. Overused and cliche phrases detract from document originality.

So how do we fix this? Well, editors across the globe just really need to strike it from manuscripts before they are published. Mark it out, and add the phrase "best" practice or "preferred" diagnostic. Really, manuscripts would read a lot better.

Are graphic novels the "new thing"?

This discussion isn't new, but it isn't old hand, either. In my campus English department, the validity of graphic novels in writing has come into question the past couple of years.

Do graphic novels belong to Creative Writing or to Technical Writing interests? Are GNs their own departmental genre, a subject in need of development to be taught concurrently? More than one instructor believes them beneficial across academic concentrations, since they tie together various talents (like art with writing).

Here's what I think: GNs are creative and technical.

New media is combined with traditional information distribution methods. Using illustration to make points is not as revolutionary as it could be, either. For example, consider the message of political cartoons, use of clip art to encourrage empathy, or use of color to create tone.

The use of creative methods supplements and reinforces author message. Readers do not enjoy simple pages of white with black stuff typed on them unless it takes the form of an important message or interesting image. Put together though, that interesting image suddenly has something to say.

Alternative documentation methods should not be (or: are not) dismissed. So far, I've named two reasons why GNs are useful. People do not always expect to receive an important lecture through the form of a "comic" (such as the No Fear Shakespeare series), but people learn different ways. People absorb information different ways, so GN format might be preferred; the more ways a person can absorb information, the better they retain it. GN is more than words on a page. It's words on a page from a "speaker".

I am not a personal proponent of GN exclusivity. All types of writing have their places. As an alternative form of writing, though, graphic novels are indispensible. Graphic novels: not just for manga.

Some literature:

• Graphic Novels in Curriculum and Instruction Collections (Elizabeth M. Downey)
• Chapter 9, New Literacies: What can popular culture teach us about information and media literacy? (Suellen Adams and Melissa Burke)
• The future of books (C. A. Gardner and Cy Dillon)

Author Review: Jacqueline Carey

Lately, I have been absorbed with reading very long books. The average page count for what I've had my nose in the past two months is 700 pages. Most people are surprised that I haven't read books by Robert Jordan, though he's famous for being long-winded. The author, though, that currently has my attention is Jacqueline Carey - her Kushiel series. It just draws me in very deeply.

Her world is amazingly rounded. An entire series of politics exists, along with a complete history of the D'Angeline people. Complete descriptions of environments are included in subtle phrases that show much in few words. Characters have amazing heights and too-deep lows they happen into. Nobody is perfect, and this shows. Through this assumption, immense beauty is also displayed. Kind of like the "beautiful death" concept - that which doesn't last is most beautiful for its brief span of life. There is great verisimilitude in this regard, and it speaks to readers, and its occurrences speak highly of authorial style.

Carey's writing style is lyrical yet bold. A vast vocabulary broadens the scope of what's beautiful in the series. That scope heightens the sensory output inherent in Carey's world. Many times in my own writing experience, such "lyrical" writing (as is my wont), is brushed off as "too archaic" and awkward for readers. Perhaps this issue is a matter of audience - was I shown the technique that Everyman might enjoy, or that allows most readers to actually appreciate what I write? In the case of the Kushiel series, these qualities only add to the depth of story.

The spontaneity of her characters and genuine tone of her writing both pack a punch. Again, the faults and perfections of what it is to be mortal infiltrate Carey's words. Both provide characters the capability to surprise readers with what new heights they aspire to gain or attempt to avoid. Because Carey's characters are forced to face their demons, whether those demons bolster or break their spirits in some fashion, the results of characters' spiritual journeys shows. This genuine aspect of Carey's world, combined with its depth, is what helps me to feel bittersweet and yet so fired when I finish reading.

I imagine, also, that is why I can't put any book of hers down. I made a point of waiting... three years... before reading the first Imriel book because I wanted to read them in order. My first Carey book I stumbled upon (via the Science Fiction Book Club)was hardback, as was the second. Out of stubbornness I waited to find a hardback copy of the third, but acquired the fourth and fifth before my husband found it (in hardback) for me as a birthday gift in 2009. Before I finish the book I'm on, I intend to have the sixth Kushiel, and any of the Naamah series. (I apologize for not being more specific, but this is an author review, not a single-book review.)

Plot is extremely active, linearly propelled, though numerous side-quests all feed into each book's climax. The novels (excepting #4, since I feel it was a little weak for the main character after what happened in #3) are wonderfully touching. Book #5 recovers the grandeur of the plot-line Phadre endures. I am entirely too excited about the next books. I am honored this author graces my shelf because, simply: I enjoy a damned-good book.

Her writing inspires me too keep pecking at my own budding novel, besides. I want to bring as much interest, as much passion to readers with my own ideas... one day. I don't mean to make that sound like "never," but I know it won't be soon. I find it hard to write - to finish. But I will. I know I will, and I refuse to let it drop. I've been working on it since 2006, and the ideas keep coming. I'm just waiting for them to figure out how they'd like to take shape. I can only hope to aspire to what this author has accomplished.

That last thought, of course, leads to other thoughts about how one authors. I continually find myself pleased to observe her technique. My own technique is enough different not to worry me, but the thoroughness in which Carey writes is certainly to be admired and developed in my own words.

Author technique is something I have also admired about Mercedes Lackey and Christopher Pike. Lackey's young-adult/adult writing is similar to Carey's, though simpler (vocabulary and style) and more character-driven. Christopher Pike's (aka Kevin McFadden) young adult books are also character-driven, though it feeds into universally-challenged plots which lead young readers to really think about why they are who they are; etc. I've read too many authors to provide very good comparisons, but those two favorites come to mind.

Write on, Jacqueline, write on.

The almighty portfolio

I mentioned in my previous blog post about interviewing that I would describe how to assemble a professional portfolio. There are numerous ways in which one may be assembled, but the way in which you do so will be unique. This is your "I love me" book (as a friend of mine says).

The materials I list (and are linked) are those I chose for my own portfolio. There are ways to produce even snappier 'folios, but this is a good base from which to work.

Materials

• A heavy, black-and-gray, D-ring binder from Staples, running about $8. It is 2" thick - anything larger is excessive and anything smaller won't fit the amount of technical writing work you need to include. You mean to show highlights, not your life's work... simply the best of it.
• You want two sets of sheet protectors for your work: medium (for the mass portions of work you will display) and heavy with tabs (to divide portfolio sections). I recommend Avery and Staples products - they're great, attractive and sturdy.
• Portfolio pieces. These should display an array of types of work or selections in your field. This will correspond with what you include.
• In my case, I have eight sections (or nine if you include my blog examples). I used to be more specific about my organization, but if you have 20-page pieces, it's okay to make them their own section, whether or not you have more than one like it (they will simply display individually for their section). Smaller, but numerous, pieces should be grouped together (so long as they are related).

The way my portfolio is organized:

1. Cover
   If you chose the binder I linked earlier in this post, then you should create a cover sheet to put on the front of your portfolio.
2. Title page (the first page, tab 1)
   This will almost duplicate your cover but should have less information. In my case, I included a brief personal introduction (two three-sentence paragraphs).
3. Two sheet protectors
   
   --Resume (front is cover letter, back is my actual resume)
   
   --A letter I chose to compose after my first interview, a copy of which I left behind to be sure they "get" who I am after I'm gone. (This is optional.)
4. TOC (table of contents, tab 2)
   To stand out, I right-align my TOC (and all other tabs for consistency). Most documents are left-aligned, so do this attractively. Just keep it simple.
5. Tab 1
6. Tab 2
7. Tab 3...
   
   --Each Tab page divides a new section or "chapter" of your portfolio. On each Tab page, you should include a section title that corresponds with your TOC. In addition, below that title you should write a paragraph-long blurb about what that section contains, why it's there, and what makes it meaningful. Be specific, but get to the point. This is, however, a good time for those anecdotes that are too long to say but are still short enough to capture attention and relate important information.
   
   --Between each tab, you will include your work. Double-side each sheet protector to save space (so you can add more).
8. Final Tab
   You can put a blank sheet here, or an empty sheet with the words "The End" printed on it. Something. The point is, you want a way to include one last page here. This will protect your last pages from tearing out of the portfolio as it is handled.

Portfolio guidelines

• Never leave it behind! If your interviewer asks for work they can hold onto, give them that handy CD-R of your work, or the CD-R/mini-'folio combination I suggested in my previous blog post.
  
  
• Keep your portfolio away from furry animals. They will always shed on it. Having to brush aside cat hair during an interview is not professional.
• Do not eat or drink over or near your portfolio, or handle your portfolio before washing your hands. Keep it pristine; it will last longer, stay pretty (and save the careful time you put into it).
• Keep your most current resume in the front of your portfolio.
  
• The work in your portfolio should reflect your skill level. Keep your display pieces current, three years old or less.

Interview addendum (more tips)

I had a second interview, and I wanted to add a few tips to the first three I blogged the other day.

Portfolio
I mentioned before that you should have a portfolio ready to go at all times. Employment opportunities can happen at any time, and it's your responsibility (to your career, assuming you are not absorbed with other life events or are not in the job markert) to seize them. See my next blog post for Portfolio tips.

My addendum: Do not stop at your portfolio. You'll hear about leaving behind a CD-R of your work. I would say to take the time and assemble a complete mini-display portfolio (with CD-R). It's great you can hand them an electronic copy of your work, but nothing compares to a tactile experience. You'd only need to include your top three pieces in the small portfolio, and it could be maybe a 1/2" binder. Just design your coversheet and other pages the same way your did with your permanent 'folio.


Outfit
I was lucky enough to be asked back for a second interview. I took the time to get a more expensive, obviously professional (I had Editor-brand slacks on - what a rush! - and a $118 business jacket from an Express mall outlet), and I even eschewed my favored black sneakers in favor of a nice pair of dressy flats. (Though - I did purchase my first pair of high heels. Shoe Carnival is great, and April is excellent for clearance sales, pretty much anywhere.)

What happened? I was completely overdressed. ("How?!" I lamented.) I think it was a karmic... thing. I tried to brand myself in a way I ordinarily do not, so regretted my decision when I saw (on a Wednesday) that all the other workers there wore khakis and flowery-type or relaxed button-up shirts. On the positive side, I may have allowed myself the professional pull that is the aesthetic of nice clothes. However, I still stand by my previous hint. Don't "dress to impress." Dress for comfort. Just "dress down" your snazzy outfit, and you won't look like a walking megalomaniac in nice duds. (The only exceptions to this rule are probably Wall Street and banking jobs).


Presentation
This is not a point upon which I mean what you brought with you - your skills, portfolio, or clothes. You know you fit the job, or you wouldn't be there ('cause if you don't fit, you likely won't get the position, anyhow). What I mean to say is that you must present yourself confidently. This involves two things...

Body language

• Don't be afraid to look your interviewer(s) in the eye (you want to, just don't stare them down). At the same time, you had better be eyes-smile-handshake when you meet and just before you leave. This song-and-dance is easy if you watch physical cues.
  
  For example:
  -- Your interviewer will reach out a hand if you step towards them when you first meet.
  
  -- It is true that silence provokes nervous energy (which results in speech) - use this to your advantage and eleborate when your interviewers remain silent that extra beat after you've answered a question.
• Speak up! Speak "from your heart" (sincerely) and from your gut (bravely); what you say matters, and your interviewers are there to listen. They want to know what you have to say. Don't worry if you stutter - just remember to breathe. Breathe.
• This final tip does not sound related to body language, but it is one of the most important things you can do in an interview (unless the end of your interview is so smooth it doesn't actually come up): Ask questions! Even if you have to make something up, prepare a few questions before you enter any/all interviews. Questions = Interest, so be interested.
  
  Questions I like to ask:
  
  1. What do you want or expect from an employee?
  2. What are the responsibilities of this position? (When you get your answer, ask something about each responsibility that caught your attention most.)
  3. How would I be evaluated?
  4. What latitude in duties or position are there?

 Conversation

• If you have something to say, be sure to make a point. It's okay to "tell a story," but that story had better last two sentences with a third to drive home why you mentioned it at all.
  1. Circumstance.
  2. What happened.
  3. What you did in the situation/example that makes you awesome, and why it matters to your interviewer.

• At all costs, do not insult your interviewer. If you have to, you had better have a reason.
  Meaning: If you, for example, edited a sample document supplied during your first interview to familiarize yourself with the company's documents and your interviewer says that your markup on the pages were critical (especially to their portion), do not say that happened because their part of the piece was "bad writing." Not to put too fine a point on it, extra comments on any part of any paper are a compliment, and rightly so (so tell your interviewer so! CYOA with the truth!). Then, explain why you were so critical - just don't mention anybody else's already-existing efforts... Instead, explain what you saw that needed attention and why you "corrected" it the way you chose. There's a difference between succinct explanations and being a jerk.
• Let your answers flow. If you think too hard, you will stifle your meaning. Don't worry about speaking too "properly" - people don't speak the way they write for academia (grapholect). It's also okay to pause (not: wait in silence) during your interview to answer your interviewer, but the first thing that comes to mind when you are asked a question is probably the correct answer. Just go with it (without being inappropriate, of course).