Writing Errors are Unprofessional - Edit Your Work!
As I read various blogs here on WA, I see numerous writing errors. Most of these can be avoided just by using the excellent spellcheck / grammar feature. Use it...every time you write!
Errors dilute your message. They are unprofessional and make your content, no matter how strong, seem weak or off base.
I read one post that had at least 25-30 instances of 'no space' between words. That makes it hard to read and weakens the message. The tool here would have caught all those errors.
The spellchecker will miss some errors. For instance, if you write 'here' but mean 'hear'. Or if you leave the 'r' off 'your' and it becomes 'you'. I see a fair amount of that kind of error. The way to catch those types of errors is to proofread your work. Granted, blog posts here on WA are not as important as your online posts, but if you're making those errors here, you're probably making them on your websites as well.
Other types of errors not caught by the spellchecker are the wrong use of some pronouns and contractions. For example:
- 'Your' is possessive, indicating it belongs to 'you'.
- 'You're' is a contraction of 'you are'. ('You are over there with your dog' could also be written 'you're over there with your dog'.)
- 'There' means over there, not here, and usually connotates location.
- 'Their' is possessive, indicating it belongs to 'them'.
- 'They're' is a contraction of 'they are'. ('They are over there with their dog' could also be written 'They're over there with their dog'.)
Another common error is the use of the tiny little word: it's / its.
- 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has', as in this sentence: “the electron is not a material particle…it’s a concept." (it could be written, "it is a concept".)*
- 'Its' should be used in all other instances, as in this sentence: “The unified field is aware of its own existence; it responds dynamically to its own presence." (you couldn't say it is or it has in either of these instances.)*
Carefully proofread your work, especially if you are going to post it to your online marketing site. If possible, have some else proofread it for you. Another set of eyes is revealing. If you wrote it, you have a tendency to gloss over errors, no matter how careful you are. My wife is gracious enough to proofread all posts to my marketing sites.
Happy writing!
* Both sentences are from: Consciousness is the Unified Field, Light of Consciousness Magazine, Spring/Summer 2006
Photo by markus-spiske-157843-unsplash.jpg
Recent Comments
18
I totally agree with you Donald, but our quest for writing perfection can also slow down our content production. What is better? Three to four posts a week that are Ok versus one to two that are perfect?
I tend to be a perfectionist when I write, a habit I'm trying to break. My goal is to eventually become my business'es Editor in Chief and subcontract my content. That way I can still be a perfectionist without impacting my content output as much.
It’s ok to strive for perfection. 3 to 4 post a week should be fine. Just be consistent with it and it will be ok. Take care
I thought of this thread Don as I was reading Kyle's latest blog. It provides an interesting perspective. Perfectionism. How it Can Kill Your Mojo.
So true.
When we proofread ourselves, it's so easy to "read" what we "think" we wrote. My husband proofreads my articles for me. Even after I have used spellcheck, he usually finds something that I missed.
By definition blogs are more casual. But correct spelling just looks more professional.
All the best,
Wendi :)
Thank you, I tend to have these error's at times and sometimes not remembering the the correct English terms to use when writing. This definitely helps us to be aware of our writing and to proofread often before publishing.
I'm from everywhere, a little Cali, born in Oneida, N.Y and then Tacoma W.A. I definitely will give you a holla back when I need you.
Thanks,
Anna
Yes the key is use spellcheck and then proofread it several times..when using proofread...proofread once..then wait several hours or enan a day and proofread again..
See more comments
I missed an error in my own blog about not making errors. LOL!
I saw that when I first read your post. Leaving a word out as I try to capture my thoughts is my biggest problem.