Comments on: Writing Means Making Mistakes? 3 Things All Writers and Readers Should Know

By: Ellen Hawley

Ellen Hawley — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 08:27:38 +0000

I’ve worked as an editor and a proofreader (although I’m better as an editor than as a proofreader), and I can testify that we’re none of us good at proofing our own writing. We know what we think it says, so our eyes tend to see what we expect. So all have to cut ourselves (and presumably everyone else) some slack there.

Then there are the times we all forget to reread what we typed before hitting Post or Send. And the people who never learned to do that because their lives were busy with learning other things–some of them useful and inevitably some of them, life being what it is, less so.

I love good writing, and I appreciate a clean surface, but it’s not everything. When I edited a small magazine someone sent me an article whose grammar was perfect and whose sentences flowed well but the article itself said nothing. Bad grammar I could have fixed. A lack of content, though, I couldn’t do a thing about–except tuck it back in its self-addressed, stamped envelope and say “Thanks, but not for us.”

I’d rather read a choppy article or blog by someone who has something to say than a perfectly clean one that says next to nothing.

By: Fiona

Fiona — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 07:38:26 +0000

The hardest thing is to proofread and edit your own writing. One often “sees” what should be there which means that it “is”. As usual, the best thing is to write and go away from it – for a good while. That’s a discipline I don’t always have. I hate it when I miss errors or someone else finds them – and I have regular readers who find them and point them out. Not just The Husband ;). I’ve learned, however, to forgive myself. Enjoy the journey – I am!

By: Fiona

Fiona — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 07:34:46 +0000

In reply to The.Richard.Braxton. agreed!

By: Opinionated Man

Opinionated Man — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 05:59:56 +0000

In reply to themicolekaye. No worries and thanks for letting me share the post! :)

By: 1jaded1

1jaded1 — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 03:54:39 +0000

I get it to an extent…or should I say understand? I rarely write, but I love to read. When I write, I call it mind puke, and I edit somewhat, but will never live up to the expectations of an English Major. I like your post.

By: Opinionated Man

Opinionated Man — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 03:26:04 +0000

Reblogged this on HarsH ReaLiTy and commented:
I liked this post. It kind of shows the evolution of blogging and how a perfectionist writer can slowly grow into blogging and learn that not everything has to be perfect. Great post! 🙂 -OM
Note: Comments disabled here, please visit their blog.

By: themicolekaye

themicolekaye — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 02:26:48 +0000

@OpinionatedMan thanks for the reblog! You’re definitely right about a paradigm shift. Going back and forth between being a less judgmental reader and a pseudo-professional writer is a difficult mindset to continuously transition between.

@The.richard.braxton: as someone with an English degree (I saw you do, too), I guess what I learned from blogging is that not everyone, even those with BAs in English can catch everything. I have become more open minded through doing. But, I agree, I still have a little spell-catcher bug in my head biting me with each mistake!

By: The.Richard.Braxton

The.Richard.Braxton — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 00:34:22 +0000

I usually allow the people I read to make a mistake or two in a long posting, but a post that is riddled with errors is unforgivable. I will stop reading people if they cannot be bothered to edit their posts.