Write Right;Right!
66
Everyday I see more and more people trying their hand at writing. In some cases I wonder where some of these people even have a notion that they can write. I don't mean to be cruel, but for some I must say: try singing or dancing instead. It's happening all over the world wide web and some sites are better at catching the bad stuff more than others. Hubpages does a pretty good job of weeding out the bad with the help of flagging.
Now, I mentioned there are people writing that shouldn't be. That really may not be the case, they just may need an editor. I have hopped hubs and read blogs that I would be embarrassed to publish. Don't get me wrong, I have had off days too, but when there are many spelling errors and punctuation or just separation errors, I have difficulty accepting such mistakes.
The other issue I have seen a lot of is length of material. A thirty or forty or even fifty word hub is baloney unless it is a poem.
All right; the purpose of this hub is to give you some simple tips for writing. It could be a hub or a blog or a simple letter to Mom. Have some pride and write it right; right!
Editor Or Proofreader
Whatever you are writing it is a good idea to have someone proofread it. We all make mistakes and a fresh set of eyes may catch those mistakes. I can see that many hubbers don't even reread their own material.
My lover and my best friend; my wife Lastheart always has me proofread her hubs. She is a beautiful Puerto Rican woman and Spanish is her primary language and English secondary. She doesn't make many mistakes but by having me proofread it just makes better odds.
I have noticed many people on hubpages that English is not their primary language. I am gladly offering my services, for a small fee of course, to proofread/edit your hubs.
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Length and Spelling
Writing very short hub or blog articles will create a bad reputation. For hubs, I would suggest at least 300 words. A poem can be understood if it is less but no one wants to read a real short hub or blog. Put some content into it. Don't assume you will make money from Adsense by posting a one paragraph hub. I will flag you myself if I see low content hubs.
It just boggles my mind how some people could misspell so many words when there is a spell checker. Hubbers and bloggers need to use the tools they have right in front of them. You have a device that will put a red line under a possible misspelled word. Right click and find the right spelling. It's very simple.
Another piece of advice; after every sentence skip a space. It creates a better read and doesn't seem like everything runs together. Use new paragraphs and split your stuff up some. People will stay and read if you make it easier for them.
Punctuation
When it comes to punctuation, there are so many rules that I couldn't possibly list them all here. Think before you install a semi-colon, a comma or a period.
I am putting a few links that may help you.
Use the rules and people will read what you write.
Links to Write Right
- Top 10 Rules of Punctuation
Top 10 Lists: While there are no hard and fast rules about punctuation, there are good style guidelines. This is a list of our ten most commonly used punctuation marks and a guide to their use. 10. Comma Use commas to separate independent clauses in - Basic Rules of Punctuation - Punctuation Guidelines
Understanding the principles behind the common marks of punctuation should strengthen our understanding of grammar and help us to use the marks consistently in our own writing. Here we'll review the conventional uses of punctuation. - Punctuation Rules
- Punctuation Contents
- English Rules | Grammar Rules | Punctuation and Capitalization Rules
English rules with examples about grammar, punctuation and capitalization provided by The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation.
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Conclusion
Since the dawn of time, man has liked to read. They want to read good material; not junk. Don't put junk out!
If you write quality material you will have a bright future.
I have learned to read the great writers of the past and learn from their styles. By reading you will learn to write. Hop some hubs and read others and learn. Take a look at what is bad and what is good.
Read your own material before you publish it. Would you want to read it if you stumbled upon it?
As I said earlier, I will proofread for a small fee; just use my contact on my profile page.
Remember to Write Right; Right!
© G.L. Boudonck
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CommentsLoading...
very useful hub and great selection of a topic...Well done Froggy!
I can't spell and I always use spell check but sometimes even that doesn't turn out right. When I was a little girl I was never taught how to spell everything was memorize. I was moved from one school to the next never seem to be able to catch up.
I remember one time studying my spelling words but I was so afraid I wasn’t going to get them right . I told my friend I wasn’t coming to school the next day because of the spelling test. I faked it with my Mom told her I was so sick . She let me stay home. I went back to school the day after the spelling test not knowing my friend had told my teacher what I had said. When I got in the class room my teacher stood up in front of the class and told the class we would now have the spelling test. She than pointed me out to the class and told what I had done. Talk about a bully that teacher was a bully I was only in third grade. What she should have done was gave me help. To this day the humiliation of how that teacher made me feel still makes me teary eyed.
Even my mother goes through my recipes and changes words in them.
I know I'm not one of the good writers on here but I try and I don't blame anyone for trying.
I agree I also hate very short hubs.
Punctuation forget about it. I'll never figure that out.
Thanks for trying to help Hubbers like me.
One trick that also works for writers is to read your work out loud. This helps you spot mistakes that you may not have seen otherwise. Good hub.
Well said, Frogster. I've been thinking along the same lines lately, after reading some short stories that had great plot lines but were ruined by bad spelling, grammar, and run-on sentences.
Thanks for posting this.
Voted up, useful and interesting.
My first six years of formal schooling decades ago took place in a tiny rural school in the southern U.S. One teacher taught two grades per room, and it was practically impossible to concentrate on studying when bombarded by all the noise of the class with whom the space was shared. In spite of this, I learned a lot, and can only credit devoted teachers for this result.
My teacher for third (and fourth) grades engendered in me the love of writing by routinely posting a picture on the board and assigning students to write an essay or story about each illustration. Then we read them aloud and marveled at the variety shown by the broadly different perspectives of all the students who looked at a picture and wrote about it.
I also believe the ability to spell and learn grammar has a lot to do with left-brain/right-brain dominance. I always loved the "creative" subjects in school, but I didn't really enjoy math or science. Guess which subjects I excelled in and which ones I had to toil over in order to make decent grades?
Public education in the U.S. went downhill when teachers began passing students who were almost functionally illiterate. (I think...I HOPE...this has ended.) I worked in a community college for many years and was horrified by the large numbers of students enrolled in college classes who still couldn't write, spell, read with comprehension or work simple math problems.
I don't discourage writers whose grammar, spelling and construction skills are slight, especially if they have good ideas and the urge to create. However, if someone edits the work of a not-so-great writer, it gives said writer the opportunity to analzye the before-and-after versions to see how the writing should be done. Many adults can learn a lot this way. I've seen it happen.
I suspect that writers who master the finer points of grammar and construction, as well as being good spellers, feel somewhat "tortured" (not too strong a word) when they read poor writing in much the same manner a musician with perfect pitch reacts when forced to listen to a song sung off-key. It hurts!
That said, if anyone has something to say and strongly wants to write, but lacks the necessary skills, it's worthwhile taking the iniative to improve. Every writer--even those who think they don't make mistakes--should have a good writer's reference book near her or his computer. If you aren't sure where a comma goes, it's very easy to find out just by looking in this marvelous reference.
Good luck to all writers, both experienced and fledgling. If you really want to write, do everything you can to become a good writer.
JAYE
moonlake,
I can't believe that teacher was so mean to you. My son is looking for a teaching job, but is the district substitute teacher until a position he wants comes up. He wants to teach kindergarten or 1st grade, before other teachers "screw the kids up." Teachers should be patient with people, and so many are in the wrong profession. It is sad that we have so many people who didn't learn how to read and like it. There is so much good literature and we have so many terrific authors who write about so many topics, there is something for everyone. Keep trying!
Thanks and blesses for your concern. My comment became a Hub:http://lastheart.hubpages.com/hub/Mistakes-Take
Thanks for all comments, especially yours Lastheart. For a person whose second language is English, you do remarkably well.
SimpleGiftsofLove Level 5 Commenter 5 months ago
Great tips, useful, and practical, thanks for taking the time! Up and following.