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 