Comments on: Why Great Writing (and Good Grammar) Matters Online http://www.writingforward.com/news-announcements/news-and-announcements/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online Creative writing tips and ideas Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:52:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Melissa Donovan http://www.writingforward.com/news-announcements/news-and-announcements/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online/comment-page-1#comment-53759 Melissa Donovan Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:19:34 +0000 http://www.writingforward.com/grammar/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online#comment-53759 I couldn't agree more CJ! I couldn’t agree more CJ!

]]> By: CJ McKinney http://www.writingforward.com/news-announcements/news-and-announcements/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online/comment-page-1#comment-53648 CJ McKinney Sat, 04 Jun 2011 03:07:23 +0000 http://www.writingforward.com/grammar/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online#comment-53648 Good post! It's interesting from these comments how many people think that grammar doesn't matter -- that it's just a set of stuffy rules that let people feel superior. And yes, grammar can be misused that way. But craftsmanship -- a command of the tools of your trade -- really does include a grasp of the rules that help us put words together in meaningful ways. The other misconception about grammar that I see from the comments here is that it's static and outdated. Yes, some rules are, and to use living language is to embrace the flow of changes in it. But as I tell my writing students, if you wouldn't meet your prospective boss unshaven and in your pajamas, you don't want to let sloppy language and poor grammar speak for you either. And online, your words are the only part of you that people will ever see. Bad writing on the net really harms all writing on the Net. Good post! It’s interesting from these comments how many people think that grammar doesn’t matter — that it’s just a set of stuffy rules that let people feel superior. And yes, grammar can be misused that way. But craftsmanship — a command of the tools of your trade — really does include a grasp of the rules that help us put words together in meaningful ways. The other misconception about grammar that I see from the comments here is that it’s static and outdated. Yes, some rules are, and to use living language is to embrace the flow of changes in it. But as I tell my writing students, if you wouldn’t meet your prospective boss unshaven and in your pajamas, you don’t want to let sloppy language and poor grammar speak for you either. And online, your words are the only part of you that people will ever see. Bad writing on the net really harms all writing on the Net.

]]> By: Melissa Donovan http://www.writingforward.com/news-announcements/news-and-announcements/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online/comment-page-1#comment-39445 Melissa Donovan Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:28:38 +0000 http://www.writingforward.com/grammar/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online#comment-39445 Missy, we're actually very much in agreement. While I appreciate good grammar and strive for it in my own writing, I am not a stickler about it. Also, I often remark on the benefits of breaking the rules (which is effective only if you know which rules you're breaking and why). I don't like to see anyone give up something they want to pursue for fear of making a mistake. I believe that if you want to do something, you should go for it. But I also believe in craftsmanship and I tend to admire people who work at their craft. I think you and I just had different takes on Skellie's article. It's all good. Missy, we’re actually very much in agreement. While I appreciate good grammar and strive for it in my own writing, I am not a stickler about it. Also, I often remark on the benefits of breaking the rules (which is effective only if you know which rules you’re breaking and why). I don’t like to see anyone give up something they want to pursue for fear of making a mistake. I believe that if you want to do something, you should go for it. But I also believe in craftsmanship and I tend to admire people who work at their craft. I think you and I just had different takes on Skellie’s article. It’s all good.

]]> By: missy http://www.writingforward.com/news-announcements/news-and-announcements/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online/comment-page-1#comment-39444 missy Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:01:51 +0000 http://www.writingforward.com/grammar/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online#comment-39444 My point with the "ya" was that it wasn't remotely correct and yet the meaning was clear... As for Skellie's article, I didn't notice that it said, "Be a bad and lazy writer!" My impression was that she was encouraging would be writers to go for it and to not become overly stressed that the grammar isn't perfect. Many people want to write but don't, partly because they're afraid they'll make a mistake. I took that article as a, "Let loose, people! Write away! Get your ideas out there and if you're interesting you'll find readers." When I'm looking at blogs and websites with no editorial board, I give the author a break if a few mistakes are made. I truly do not care if someone ends a sentence with a preposition as long as it makes sense. Sorry about my second post. It was more harsh than it needed to be. I just really agreed with Skellie... My point with the “ya” was that it wasn’t remotely correct and yet the meaning was clear…

As for Skellie’s article, I didn’t notice that it said, “Be a bad and lazy writer!” My impression was that she was encouraging would be writers to go for it and to not become overly stressed that the grammar isn’t perfect.

Many people want to write but don’t, partly because they’re afraid they’ll make a mistake. I took that article as a, “Let loose, people! Write away! Get your ideas out there and if you’re interesting you’ll find readers.” When I’m looking at blogs and websites with no editorial board, I give the author a break if a few mistakes are made. I truly do not care if someone ends a sentence with a preposition as long as it makes sense.

Sorry about my second post. It was more harsh than it needed to be. I just really agreed with Skellie…

]]> By: Melissa Donovan http://www.writingforward.com/news-announcements/news-and-announcements/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online/comment-page-1#comment-39442 Melissa Donovan Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:27:56 +0000 http://www.writingforward.com/grammar/why-great-writing-and-good-grammar-matters-online#comment-39442 I'd prefer to lose readers to my long windedness than to risk losing them because I'm too lazy to type y-o-u instead of y-a. Good luck with your writing. I’d prefer to lose readers to my long windedness than to risk losing them because I’m too lazy to type y-o-u instead of y-a. Good luck with your writing.

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