I’ve been doing some odd-job writing lately, like a handbook for our homeschooling co-op. I jumped at the chance to write it. The looks I received made me wonder if I had fuzzy antennae on my head. I did, so I took them off. Still, it occurred to me that writing a mission statement, requirements, and policies aren’t something most people like to do. So, I asked myself the question, “Why did I want to write this handbook?”
The diplomatic answer? I like details and structure. I was a receptionist for an architect/engineering firm when I was 19. It was okay, but I wanted to do more than answer the phone and greet people. So, they let me type up specs. I loved typing up the specs! Requirements down to 1/64 of an inch? How wonderful!
The real answer? I’m bossy, and writing a handbook is being bossy on paper. Have you ever read a student or an employee handbook and wondered about the writers of that handbook? Mostly, I’ve just wondered how they missed those typos. Now that I’m in the writer’s seat, I wonder if they rub their hands together and laugh maniacally while they work. I do. Mwahahahaha!
On the down side, guess who gets blamed when the handbook doesn’t fit the situation? 😦 Ah, the pitfalls of dictating policy. *sigh*
Rilla Writer 
I commend you! I was a technical writer in my former life. And yes I loved the structure and the decision-making power that comes with it. But oh, boy over several years of it I wanted to bang my head on the desk. The thing is now, when I read policy and procedure docs I find myself picking them apart! Go figure…
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It’s in your blood. Lol! I imagine I would become tired of it, too, if I had to work at a fine print level week in, week out.
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I hear you… Paperwork and policy making has always been a joy for me. I think we just like the idea of life being organized and less chaotic, so we jump at the chance to help make sense of life.
Good luck and best wishes!
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Oh, I like that explanation!
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Better you than me. Have fun!
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The most technical I’ve gone is for a newspaper. You know, they have to have form and everything in short terse sentences. And, even with that, you still get edited. I think the plus on this is that you LIKE doing it. Congrats on doing something you like.
Veronica
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I think handbooks have a tendency to be repetitive, covering the bases in all sections, but I do like the challenge of writing articles with a limited word count. Somewhere on my list of things I’d like to try is flash fiction. Honestly, I don’t enjoy reading much of it, though. Thanks!
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