You can't write without reading!

etymon

Hi all
I'm a newbie and have been reading the threads with interest. This seems like a pretty lively forum.
A funny thing has occurred to me, though - there are so many spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in people's work that I wonder if it's possible to really call yourself a writer without mastering these basics?
I don't want to fuel anyone's fire too much but I was always told that to be a writer, you first and foremost have to be a reader.
Is anyone out there an avid reader yet awful when it comes to spelling and grammar? If so, I would be surprised.
My pet hate is getting the apostrophes wrong in its, it's etc.

This is an awfully anal post, I know.
Otherwise I am into writing fiction. Have no idea at all what the quality of it is as am too shy to show it around.

Insect Overlord

Welcome to the forum etymon. I'd be quick to agree with you about the spelling and grammar problem. However, that's an issue that exists in all parts of this website, not just here in CW. Occasionally people are just careless typers rather than poor spellers.* It annoys me to see posts riddled with mistakes though, when a poster has made no effort at all to proof-read.

As for your own fiction, don't feel under pressure to post anything until you're comfortable about it. It should be welcomed by the majority here when you do choose to contribute

idwc2009

Part of that is that alot of people have become reliant on spellcheck. And while spellcheck is good and can help, it can't sort out your work if you don't understand basic grammer already. It can do its/it's and their/there/they're but other stuff like course/coarse don't seem to get much notice.

And then you also have the fact that a lot of people don't seem to think it matters on forums at all. Although on FictionalleyPark the forum on Schnoogle.org they're very strict on spellcheck and stuff like that. And making sure people don't use web/text speak because they would have alot of people who don't have English as they're first language.

For myself I tend to use proper language and grammer all the time, even in texts. But then again. I am a bit odd!

Insect Overlord

idwc2009 wrote: »

Part of that is that a lot of people have become reliant on spellcheck. And while spellcheck is good and can help, it can't sort out your work if you don't understand basic grammar already. It can do its/it's and their/there/they're but other stuff like course/coarse don't seem to get much notice.

And then you also have the fact that a lot of people don't seem to think it matters on forums at all. Although on FictionalleyPark the forum on Schnoogle.org they're very strict on spellcheck and stuff like that. And making sure people don't use web/text speak because they would have a lot of people who don't have English as their first language.

For myself I tend to use proper language and grammar all the time, even in texts. But then again, I am a bit odd!

Fixed your post! :rolleyes: Well, most of the errors anyway.

Matt Holck

You can't write without reading!

an ironic thing to post on a forum

idwc2009

Oh the shame!

See I told you a lot of people depend too much on spell check. I tend to type too quickly and while I did look back over the post I was in a rush. Clearly.

Do forgive me.

etymon

That's so funny - it is one of those things where you frantically check your spelling before posting! The 'n' on my keyboard is gone so I'm sure I'll trip over my own gripe before long too!

Matt Holck

one of my computers has damp space bar

dublinario

I'm sorry idwc2009, but even though An Fhile has already picked apart your posting, I have to weigh in. This statement...

idwc2009 wrote:

For myself I tend to use proper language and grammar all the time, even in texts

...is indicative of my biggest Creative Writing forum gripe. I've posted before about the dearth of humility around here. An Fhile highlighted multiple problems with your post, and I'd also add:

idwc2009 wrote:

Part of that is that...

idwc2009 wrote:

stuff like course/coarse don't seem to get much notice

idwc2009 wrote:

Although on FictionalleyPark the forum on Schnoogle.org...

Consider also that most of your sentences begin with 'And' or 'But' (not illegal, as suggested in school, but stylistically poor when used in abundance), your favourite word being 'stuff', and it's just galling to hear you pontificate about an enlightened literary disposition. Honestly, there's more wrong than right in your post, and claiming you were in a hurry is nonsense; the people you're casting aspersions on can invoke that excuse just as glibly. Frankly, even if your posting was pristine, I'd still regard it as arrogant and presumptuous:

I'm not a pedant, and I don't especially care if somebody posts something poorly spell-checked or grammatically dodgy. I just hate people basking in writing snobbery when their own credentials are dubious. It's not just you idwc2009; the forum is replete with these kind of veiled arrogances. Surely you should allow for the possibility that you might not be as good as you think? For example, I can tell you that I definitely don't "...use proper language and grammar all the time...". I try, but I'm far, far from perfect.

idwc2009

I didn't mean to sound arrogant and snobby. I was simply saying that quite a few people (myself included) depend too much on spell check.

LCDeelite

etymon wrote: »

Hi all
I'm a newbie and have been reading the threads with interest. This seems like a pretty lively forum.
A funny thing has occurred to me, though - there are so many spelling mistakes and grammatical errors in people's work that I wonder if it's possible to really call yourself a writer without mastering these basics?
I don't want to fuel anyone's fire too much but I was always told that to be a writer, you first and foremost have to be a reader.
Is anyone out there an avid reader yet awful when it comes to spelling and grammar? If so, I would be surprised.
My pet hate is getting the apostrophes wrong in its, it's etc.

My f--king God, you READ MY MIND! The bad spelling and poor punctuation by users on this site is UNBELIEVABLE. It's everywhere and it drives me mental. The worst I've seen yet is over in the main Paranormal forum (where I often go! )- look for the thread entitled 'haunted army camp {BAOR}'. See the following link and you'll know exactly what I mean:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055359202

Yep, it's ridiculous how people make mistakes with the most SIMPLE things, like 'it's' instead of 'its' when talking (or typing) about something in the possessive form, or whatever. Other easy mistakes that really p1ss me off as well include 'their', 'there', 'they're', 'your', and 'you're' in all the wrong places. For instance, saying, "Your busy at the moment" instead of "You're busy at the moment". Minor things like that which someone should have f--king mastered by at least their early teens, in all fairness.

By the way, I don't do creative writing as such. Well, I attempted writing a fictional short story (about 10,000 words) a few months ago, but I just don't think creative writing is my niche! I'm better at just writing in a factual sense. Plus, I value fact over fiction anyway. My imagination is fairly sh1te, I'm afraid.

Matt Holck

most times grammar and spelling corrections
are easy to give


I lke the fact that people will point out unclear areas in story and setence structure aswell

I is hard to leave a helpful comment on a flawless piece
unless one wish adress the context