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…
Law 10. Celebrate, then evaluate
Today, I received a letter from a project leader in the mail. I chuckled and got a warm, fuzzy feeling. Here I was, thinking about the tenth and last law of collaborative writing—how important it is to recognize all collaborators and celebrate your collective achievement. Then a thank-you note arrives. (And I did not Photoshop that time stamp….
Collaborative Writing Law 7. Model thy structure and content
Why do we try to reinvent the wheel? The world is full of examples of how information can be organized. Pick a content model. Any model! Well, you’re right. Not just any model will do. You want the one that fits your content best and helps your team manage the work. That’s why knowing the requirements and…
Collaborative Writing Law 6. When in doubt, check your assumptions
Assumptions create obstacles to free-flowing collaboration. If a project is not advancing as expected, there are probably some hidden assumptions to bring to light. Assumptions can affect anything from the writing mandate to the final output, and all the activity and people in between. The root of assumptions is expectations—something every project and everyone involved comes ready charged…
Your collaboration tools may be useless
State-of-the-art collaborative tools are about as useful as a box of hammers (see photo) if no one is clear on the aim of the project. It is misguided to think that your team has a good collaborative environment just because everyone shares the same database, or that a specific social media tool is all you need to get…
Is your organization losing its mind?
Your team is compiling hundreds of pages to support your organization’s product. It takes months, sometimes years. So you can expect the faces at the table to change over time. Writing in organizations takes planning. If the team members take all the expertise with them, the collaborative writing project could be affected. And the organization might feel…
Model 3 – Collaborative teams
Of the three models of writing processes in organizations, collaborative teams are the most likely to produce successful documents. All the roles and responsibilities for producing the document are represented in a structure that supports the project: content specialists, writing experts, editors, designers, administrators, even contracting authorities who look after the final output. It is more time-consuming…
Law 4. Assess the requirements for the project (even if there’s no time)
You have already established your writing mandate with Law 3. So does the team start scribbling yet? Not quite. There’s an Arabic saying about good, expressive prose: (If it takes) No skill to understand it, (then it takes) mastery to write it.” — cited by Taleb in his book on anti fragility (I’ve added parenthetical notes) In writing,…
The 10 laws of collaborative writing
How do you make sure you are collaborating effectively with your writing colleagues? Here are 10 laws to guide you: All writing in organizations is collaborative. Respect thy collaborators as thyself. Identify the writing mandate and agree on a process. Assess the requirements for the project (even when there’s no time). Agree on practices and tools, and…