Christine Hastie

  • Home
  • Blog
    • Collaboration
      • Collaboration Tables
      • Creativity
    • Collaborative writing
      • The 10 Laws of Collaborative Writing
      • Writing Processes
      • Writing & Editing
  • Leadership
  • About
    • Services
  • Contact
  • Resources
    • Writing your way
  • Home/
  • Collaboration /
  • How do you know you are writing collaboratively?
Collaborative group

How do you know you are writing collaboratively?

Christine December 17, 2013 Leave a Comment 3245

If you write in a business context, you are probably writing collaboratively. You might not know it, though. It is important to be sure. It saves a lot of trouble with mistaken assumptions and not being able to deliver.

So at what point did you start writing collaboratively? Was it:

  • While you were writing the first draft?
  • After you submitted and started to receive feedback?
  • While you were sitting in on progress meetings?
  • After the mandate changed when your department reorganized?

It’s a conundrum

Collaborative writing begins when the people involved acknowledge that more than one of them is needed to produce the document. Simple, but it is not always acknowledged. If that is the case, there is no collaboration. There may be expectation of receiving your collaboration and contribution, but that is an assumption and not the same thing at all.

The moment when a collective effort is acknowledged in a writing project or assignment is special. It is a point of power—a tipping point. The aims and goals of the project can then be established. A sharing process kicks in. Without a shared understanding, difficulties are sure to arise.

Time to make a silk purse

Today, I was sent documents written mainly by an executive of the organization. Presenting it as complete and ready for design, the email asked me to make a complete information kit folder out of the various documents and to get a really great folder designed. Also, I was told, “Feel free to change the content, if you think it is needed.”

The links between the four documents attached to the email were not clear. Who they were for was not clear. I looked in vain for information on the target audience, how the kit would be used, when it would be used, what the production timeframe is, and what we wanted to achieve with this document. There were some style problems.

Despite contributions by a leader, this project has missed its leadership moment. It will be difficult to rally the collective power needed for design and production. Not acknowledging that a team effort is needed almost guarantees that the project’s basic requirements remain a mystery.

Writing relay race

Since a “handoff” approach is being used, collaboration not possible. Writing back to the requesters, I am careful to meet them in the same spirit. Assumptions are not helpful at this point and risk turning the requesters into vampires. I’ve asked a few questions about expectations, purpose, intentions, context, audience to see what they have in mind.

Will this open a dialogue and lead to a collaborative effort? We’ll see. The project will not come to life without it.

Photo credit: Melanie Holtsman

Christine
2013-12-17
Tags:
business writing project collaborative writing essentials content management document development document goals document objectives expectations production process writing objectives writing process writing project management writing roles writing strategy writing team strategy
Share story:
← PreviousLaw 10. Celebrate, then evaluate
Next →Hire a professional proofreader to ensure your book is the best it can be

Written by Christine

Christine Hastie specializes in coaching writers, collaborators, and teams to success. Working in creative, technical, and therapeutic fields, she guides people to find their true message, especially when producing written resources that advance knowledge and help others.

View all articles by Christine

Website: http://christinehastie.com

Related Articles

  • Are all team members on the same collaborative page?

  • Listen, sculpture by Tom Nussbaum, photo by

    Listening: A key skill for collaboration

  • Collaboration, Crowdfunding and Kickstarting a Project

  • Chemotherapy room collaboration table

    Collaboration Tables 3: A Chemotherapy Room Table

  • Photo by The Guy with the Yellow Bike via Flickr CC

    Collaborate better: A guide for teams and partners

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Social networks

Subscribe To My Newsletter

Recent Posts

  • Are all team members on the same collaborative page?
  • Listening: A key skill for collaboration
  • Collaboration, Crowdfunding and Kickstarting a Project
  • Collaboration Tables 3: A Chemotherapy Room Table
  • Collaborate better: A guide for teams and partners
You can use WP menu builder to build menus

Copyright © 2014 Pratico, All Rights Reserved.