Twice in the past week I've done something I love--reading colleagues' written work and offering editing advice--but I always worry over how pointed to make my comments. I want to offer helpful, specific writing advice in the most direct possible way, but I don't want to risk destroying any relationships with valued colleagues and friends.
Will my colleague object if I tell him his circumlocutions and qualifications make him sound wimpy and uncertain? Will another be miffed if I offer a quick primer on parallel structure? Does another really want to know that the final paragraph seems to have been beamed in from outer space?
It's easier offering suggestions to students because I'm not worried about being their friend. I am the teacher: I'm supposed to tell them how to write, and as long as I couch my suggestions in supportive language, they tend to appreciate my feedback.
It's a different situation entirely when I'm reading a colleague's writing. On the one hand, a colleague who asks for feedback deserves a close, careful reading and specific suggestions; on the other hand, some people are actually seeking applause, so advice feels to them like a slap in the face.
So my first task with any such request ought to be to feel out just what the colleague is looking for: specific suggestions or a pat on the back? I can do either, but it will save us both a lot of grief if I know from the start which one my colleague wants.
(You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!....But if you can, please let me know, okay?)
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