Do You Like Writing?

I like writing. Do you?

Am I good at writing? Now that is a different question.

  1. I know many people who can write well without many errors.
  2. I know many people who can write up a storm, but who need serious editing.
  3. Then of course I know many people who do not like writing and avoid it. Often it is some fear about writing that started pre-school or at school.

The latter is a pity. I’m not saying everyone is a writer. I’m not saying everyone should be writing all the time. I am saying that just about anyone should be able to write comfortably. Frankly, I admire people who write and don’t worry about too much about the “correctness” of their writing. Truth is if one can just get one’s thoughts down, one can edit afterward. There is more to writing as a communication tool than just getting your thoughts down though, but it is a great starting place. When I’m in the writing zone, in the flow, I hate being disturbed and my fingers cannot type fast enough. And yes, I know I’m going to have to edit my work carefully afterward. Just how it is!

So the important part with writing is to get going. That is step 1. Editing or proofreading comes much later. Allow a few errors to lie around for a bit. They can be tidied up in good time. Next time some thoughts on what could be step 2 :).

Want some insider tricks on how to proofread for yourself? These are the ideas agreed upon out there in the editing world and many of the ideas the Language Online editors use all the time. Be prepared for the serious and the wacky: they all work at different times for different people. Sign up for the grammar tips or the Language Online (LOL) newsletter and get your own personal downloadable LOL Proofreading Guide.