Does Grammar Attack Bloggers?
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I will freely admit that I am not the best when it comes to spelling, grammar and all that good stuff. In fact I am one of those people who writes like I talk, which can often lead to mistakes that perhaps are best dealt with in the edit.
My approach has always been to aim to provide valuable content despite that English is my second language, but it seems mistakes in spelling, syntax, structure or grammar annoy some people so much that they can not read any further.
I can understand how there can be a limit to any individual’s patience when it comes to wading through error after error, but I am finding that there are folks out there who have a much lower tolerance than I had expected.
Now, I am not shouting out anyone in particular, my goal here is both obviously to have a good moan but also to get to the issue.
- How bad does the English need to be before credibility is lost?
- How many mistakes are acceptable?
- What is the tipping point from irritant to intolerable?
The web is full of people who either do not have strong writing skills or do not have English as their first language, and nevertheless have lots of value to offer. I believe everyone has something valuable to share within them. (Check my posts on how to write accurate and valuable content.)
Obviously some of us set ourselves up for greater criticism, I have to expect more heat about deficiencies in my writing skills when I am advising people how to write for the web in my blog posts!
We all make mistakes, and most of us are grateful when we are given the opportunity to correct them. When it comes to errors in writing, where do you draw the line?
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2 Responses to “Does Grammar Attack Bloggers?”
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I’m a grammar Nazi, it pretty much irritates the heck out of me to read bad grammar. I think that as long as your sentences are coherent, and you’re not making painfully stupid mistakes (subjects and verbs…can’t they agree?) it’s forgivable. But I have some pretty high standards.
I think it depends a lot on your audience. If you’re writing for writers, you’ll probably get some snide comments from time to time. Most people (who often have only a passing grasp of the subject themselves) are less inclined to be picky as long as the sentences make sense. It does amuse me when self-professed grammar Nazis don’t know how to use commas. ;)
Writing like you speak is actually a pretty good idea, as it lends your posts a friendly, conversational tone.