Spelling, Grammar, and Proper Punctuation

Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are important finishing touches that will make the difference in whether your manuscript gets off of the editor's desk to the press or into the never basket. While some novice writers believe they don't need to worry so much about these elements of good writing because they fall to the editor's job, you will do well to recognize that most editors scoff at the idea of being someone's clean up gal or guy. Indeed, the mechanics of the language and your use of it are your responsibility, not the editor's and overlooking or dismissing this fact will not make you any points with your editor or client.

SPELLING

If you have written even a business letter, then you know that the spell checks in the MS Word program and other similar word processing programs are seriously inadequate for checking a manuscript. The reasons for this are many and do not really reflect on the fine folks at Microsoft or any other company that creates cool computer tools. A quick glimpse at the nature of the problem is to consider the use of words such as their/there/they're, to/too, regardless/irregardless, and others. In the first two examples, your spell check will fail you because it cannot proofread for you and so it cannot determine the context of your usage. In the third example, your spell check fails because it knows that the prefix "ir" is part of the English language and proper usage, but it does not know that irregardless is not a proper word in the language and cannot be used without the writer looking like a hick that uses other double negatives.

There are too many examples of everyday words that fall through the cracks of your spell check to list as words to look out for when watching your spell check program. You, the writer, must simply learn to spell correctly, spell check everything you write, proofread your manuscripts, and use the thesaurus and dictionary when in doubt.

Correct spelling is one of the distinctive elements that marks the educated and separates the ignorant in the world of writing. If you have ever written a cover letter to your resume, then you know that diligence in the area of spelling will also open or shut the door for you in the competitive realm of employment. If it is true in the HR department of a company, then expect it to be true on your client's or editor's desk. Oh, and yes, typos are misspellings in the world of writing and truly a neon sign that reads, "LAZY!!!!"



In my undergraduate studies at the University of Florida, my grammar professor drove home the importance of correct spelling on the first day of classes. He stood before the class of 50 and told everyone that he would assign an A to any student who came forward on the spot and correctly spelled the word "accommodate." He explained that any student who could correctly spell accommodate probably did not need his course and he would gladly opt them out of the course with a top grade. As an undergraduate, this was intimidating. Only two people made the attempt and only one person received his A and had the luxury of not attending for the rest of term.

The professor's point is as important today as it was then, if you can't spell, how can you write effectively? If you can't spell, how will you be taken seriously? If you can't spell, do you think that the world of editors is a world of personal janitors? Do you think your client or editor does not mind reading your poorly constructed sentences? Do you think that text message or email spelling are okay in a manuscript submission? What exactly are you hoping to communicate when you don't take the time or make the effort to check what you write?

GRAMMAR

What IS grammar? Wikipedia defines grammar as, "In linguistics, grammar refers to the logical and structural rules that govern the composition of sentences, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology and syntax, often complemented by phonetics, phonology, semantics, and pragmatics." (For a more extensive definition, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammar) Simply put, grammar means the "rules of the language."

In some ways, it is safe to say that if you do not have the basics of the language down, then you should take some classes before trying to become the next great nonfiction writer. On the other hand, I do not want to discourage anyone who has a decent grasp of the language and its rules. Even top writers need help with their grammar. If they didn't, then the job of editor would be only that of a stylist. Although most editors would prefer to be only a stylist, most know grammar and its nuances are the bulk of the editor's job. To gain your client's or editor's favor, take a grammar course, keep and use a handy grammar reference, and do your best to stay in line with what the client or editor is looking for in a manuscript.



PROPER PUNCTUATION

A course may also help in the area of proper punctuation. Of course, a good grammar book will do wonders in this area as well as practicing the basics of the language. If you have a habit of not really paying much attention to punctuation, then you will want to practice some diligence in this area of your writing. Remember, when you don't take care of your punctuation, then your writing reads like one big set of run-on sentences and an editor will inevitably chop it in ways you did not intend and some of your original meaning will be lost.

When you do not tend to your punctuation, you also run the risk of straight up rejection from your client or editor. Unless you have a very good reason for your poor attention to proper punctuation, then stop slacking on the details of your writing. There are very few good excuses for a lack of attention to punctuation.

I have a client who is a very successful man in his business. He is a multimillionaire and highly respected in his community. He also has incredible stories to tell, mostly children's stories. He is an interesting man with a considerable amount of charm and charisma and someone who draws people to him. His Achilles heel is that he hardly ever punctuates when he writes his stories because he doesn't really know how to properly punctuate. He has a fourth grade education because he has worked his whole life to support his family. He is the exception with the good excuse because he clearly has much to offer and clearly is not a lazy person. But most writers do not get this type of pass with their editors or clients. So, it is best for you to give your punctuation close attention.

Here is a brief list of punctuation details:

• Periods. Belong at the end of a declarative or imperative sentence.


• Commas. Belong to lists, independent clauses, and dependent clauses.


• Colons. Belong to lists when preceded by nouns.


• Semicolons. Belong to lists when written in a series in a single sentence.


• Ampersands. Belong to lists when the list includes proper nouns such as names in a law firm (for instance, Carstens, Yee, & Cahoon, P.C.); otherwise avoid them in the content of nonfiction.


• Parenthesis and brackets. Should be written in the same font, size, and style (such as italics, bold, and so forth) as the words contained within them.

1. Context. To consider the meaning of the word or phrase inside of its sentence or paragraph. To take something out of context is to distort or construe a word or phrase to imply something the writer or speaker did not originally intend.


2. Proofread. A manual process by which the writer physically checks the manuscript's content for misspellings, typos, and omissions.


3. Thesaurus. A reference book similar to a dictionary, and often a companion to a dictionary, that lists synonyms for the words listed.