I was collaborating on a Round Robin project around January 7th, and one of the writers (whom I’ll name *Doe* for convenience) produced work that was, shall I say… grammatically unsound. There were issues with grammar, various malapropisms, and a noticeably prevalent usage of awkward phrasing.
I tried to help by fixing and cleaning up their section… But Doe rejected the edits, saying I was “jumping the gun.” Fair enough, I thought. I didn’t want to start a fight, so I held my tongue and agreed we’d figure something out later…
Now fast forward to today. I see Doe’s finished contribution, and honestly, it’s still not up to snuff. There are the same issues, and the text is not only still unpolished, but also highlighted in red, yellow, green, and blue. Since this is a collaborative project, I asked if they wanted it patched up or cleaned before moving forward. They flat-out rejected that, too. When I asked why, Doe stated they “stand by what they write,” even though the piece is riddled with bad grammar and incorrect word usage.
Now I’m sitting here wondering… am I the asshole for trying to improve the quality of their work, or should I have just let it go and accepted that this is their way of writing?
Need some INFO: What is the project for? If it’s a work project and the deliverable affects everyone, then yeah I would say standing your ground on this is a good idea. If it’s just a casual creative project not intended to go anywhere? Then you’ve tried twice and she’s chosen to remain a poor writer writer twice. That’s not your problem.
I encounter this more often than not these days and I am not talking about simple mistakes. I have encountered ex level people who can’t write a complete sentence.
I have a friend that was in a Master’s program, she was struggling so she came to me. I red lined her first paper, then came other progressively bigger projects. I red lined a few pages, provided lots of notes and suggestions. I also explained that I could not keep fixing her work and suggested a tutor. I joked that I didn’t need another masters degree. Eventually she came back to me with a paper her professor marked up and his notes were very sharp. They also included one telling her she was not going to finish the program and to get a tutor. She was just not improving at all. I never asked and she never said if she finished.
What I have learned is to let it be, otherwise you are the asshole, make sure you both present your work at the same time, say nothing about the co-worker’s work just say something along the lines of “and now XYZ will explain their findings”. Try to first enlist a manager’s help before this rolls up.
Some people only learn by shooting themselves in the foot, and even then some never figure it out.
If this was a group effort where everyone involved will be affected, NTA. If they are being judged by their writing alone, then let them deal with it. I think initially you may have been too eager, but at the end was the right time to check and ask.
Where we live in the age of auto-correct or suggestions, IDK why someone would be against improving their work, grammar, delivery, etc. I have sent very technical emails that gets highlighted blue sometimes but that’s how technical writing is sometimes.
When collaboration falters, honesty is key. If your efforts to improve were rejected, it’s their responsibility now. Don’t rzhmclet poor choices drag you down. Focus on what matters.
As Elsa sings, “let it go…”
Provided that it only affects them and not you or anyone else. In that case, stand your ground or forewarn whoever is judging/ marking it.
NAH