Interview Questions/responses

Can you describe the role that writing plays in your position?
And what types of writing do you use?
200 Huge amount of emails all over the state /country
mostly clarifying something, introducing, validating lots of
validating
written pieces that are helpful- how do you set up/organize a
workshop Organizing kit pieces that she created learned a
long time ago that she isnt that great of a writer, but
learned to do the things she needs to do when she needs to
do them - an energy behind writing
Pieces written are used in different genres use in newsletter,
publication- used in multiple places mostly to: facilitatorsmarketing
Part of communicating with newly hired out reach
coordinators is putting together ideas, guide how to
network , penetrate, make contact
A few people brainstorming
Research
Accumulating material and see how it works
Accumulation material see how it
Tend to get peoples ideas, my ideas. Middle of night write
down ideas that just pop into her head
Group of people brainstorming ideas- talk about this and
that- then she puts it altogether and creates a structure
Her process last 30 years of writing cant own it has to let it
go.
Will have it proofed torn apart
Not a great proofreader hates proof reading
Most people will not pull it apart/tear it apart
Most people dont know how to tear a writing apart and
rebuild it

Interview Questions/responses

Either grammatical viewpoint

Ideological vie point
Rarely are those two combined
Have no ego involved
Most people dont use track changesRecently wrote something and had someone proof that
didnt use track changes and had to go through every line to
see what was changes.
PET PEV Actually appreciate when someone changes
something-its how she learns
People that make changes and dont want to share what
they have done or dont know how to use the system- voice
tone went up body language
No track changes in email send back with different color
sto show changes.
Most of the time ok with changes unless its not capturing
what she is trying to communicate. And will have a
conversation about it
You can put it out there Rarely do people change it so it
enough so ideologically different or grammatically different.
Put ego aside
Collaborative effort not cosigning
Just dont send something out, because it is usually wrong,
much better to have someone else look at it
Has a lot of very educated volunteers to help with editing
What is your writing process like?
How does your writing style differ with your different
audiences?
Can you describe the importance of tailoring your writing to
your audience? Who are the different audiences?

Interview Questions/responses

Do you share in-progress (ie, not completely finished) work

with others? If so, who, and why? What kind of feedback do
you get?
How many edits?
I noticed you used quotes in your proposal. What was your
process for choosing those quotes over others?
What were the method(s) you chose to gather those quotes?

website
Can you explain to me how you gather your information on
recidivism?
You wrote that California operates the largest AVP program in
the country that is an incredible accomplishment,
congratulations. Can you share with me how your writing
style has changed since you started with AVP?
What have you found to be the most challenging for you
when it comes to writing for a program that continues to
grow and gets more exposure?

How do you use writing in social media forums?

What are your different audiences and how do you use your
writing skills to attract such a variety of people?

How does your writing style differ between different genres?

-Grant writing
-Website
-Job opportunity announcements
-Volunteer recruitment and management
-Funders (private donors & grants)

Interview Questions/responses

Volunteers/peers much more informal-dont have to prove

things, tell stories, dont need statistics
Knowing the different personalities
Grant- they tell you what they want so its easier. Had
someone that used to be on the granting receiving
application end committee help/edit/suggest.
Has a tendency to white how she talks using and simplify
language. Tighten it down had someone make suggestions
remove this sentence because you already explained it
elsewhere
Asked CDCR for permission to use different font- single space
on quotes
Really helps to have someone who can do that kind of
tightening to simplify the language
The problem When she reads something she has written
she doesnt like it second guesses herself when she goes
back to do it again it gets longer and longer
Grant will tell you how many characters/lines
Quotes Wardens, facilitators, participants, clients
Quotes single spaced-got permission
Quotes on statistical stuff on surveys
CDCR staff quotes- letters staff gives quotas. Knows what
their interest is so she can ask them to write specific things.
Your website under research you have two graphs about
workshop totals. One of them you used a lot of color. What
was your decision process on this particular graph?
You have two links to it on the research page of your
website. What reaction are you looking for with those who
view it?
Recidivism study she didnt write

Interview Questions/responses

Growth of AVP

Boring attention grabber

Wardens love it
Look for their color and see whos doing better (wardens)
Initially designed website
George keeps record of all workshops

Where do you gather your information to support the

statistics gathered?
--in CDCR grant
-Palabra flyer
-Website
-Job opportunity announcement
What kind of attitude/mindset does or thinking aptitude is
required to succeed in this job?
Do they have any writing-related pet peeves?

Pathos: Emotion

Logos: Logic

Thought process on how to balance heart/logic

Whole bunch of research on the home page People want to know the
facts so there are places on the website that will give the information
that speaks to a more logical person. If people want those kind of facts
they can find them
1900 -Try and pull out one liners- that work better than a whole bunch
of this and this and this.
Getting really good stories heart. Researching stories that have to do
with nonprofit fundraising. How they are written/told. Have to do with
nonprofit fundraising, website design, donor announcements
Researching - A lot of thought about stories, how they are written what
you include in it. Building a whole collection of how to write that
information on how to do it.

Interview Questions/responses
That has to do with nonprofit fundraising, brochures. Website material.
Its a deep learning process.
Beauty of story telling it really gets you to hone down, need to do more
research with the person, how did that happen, what was it like.
Defining the scene- Its hard to remember that, get to sitting in the
office and although you have a lot of interaction.
See # of workshops, statistics etc.
CDCR, funders love it, she loves it
Wardens like seeing their prison with good #s, Director of adult
institutions

Concert things make good stories

AS executive director
Has backed off writing now is basically stating here is the answer and
the person that is handling it
Making introductions passing informations on- biggest difference
Was editor of newsletter for 12 years with another position?
With transformer, didnt write most of those- would select what is in
there, would tweak stuff, and send it to someone to check grammar
Not as much writing
Originally (men) wrote everything themselves
Wrote up a lot of stuff and pass it on.
Challenge is to let that be ok.
Lead from behind In this case Im the trailer-still plugged insomething will come drifting back to her- but mostly about empowering
them

Doesnt think writing is my specialty

Contrast

Interview Questions/responses

(1700)
Used imagery when sharing speaking about the necessity to have
more detailed, personal stories. we were sitting on this cold bench
and we were talking and she was wearing her state blues and that was
all she could wear. We were conversing about what it was like to be a
mom in prison, she told me about the last time she saw her 2-yearold.
Its hard to remember that, while you are sitting in the office looking at
the numbers and statistics.
I sat on a cold metal bench with a woman, an inmate as she shared
with me how much she missed her 2 year old daughter.
More research with the person, more tangible stuff