Basic Work

Today, I was sitting in my Advanced Composition class when the teacher returned graded essays to the students. This sparked an interesting discussion about grammatical and spelling errors. Despite this class being a 3000-level for a few sophomores, juniors, and seniors, the teacher was a bit irritated that people still make mistakes with comma splices, spelling, fragment sentences, and other errors more common in middle schoolers than college students.

It got me thinking about grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Even though writing stories is largely about creating a story, the writing style is just as important as maintaining a plot and characters. You could have an amazing and unique story concept that could be the next greatest piece of literature, but if you have horrible spelling or grammar problems, they will spell problems for you. I once looked over a story for an acquaintance, and the grammar and spelling errors were so glaring that I was more focused on them then on what was going on in the story. Granted, we all have problems in certain areas (I admit that mine is spelling sometimes), and that means we just need to work more on those issues.

Here are a few tips I would recommend for working to improve problem areas in basic writing.

1) If you have spelling problems, do not be afraid to use a dictionary. I myself like using Microsoft Word to correct spelling issues, but use what suits you best and what is the most reliable.

2) For grammar and punctuation, I've found Williams' "Style" to be helpful, even though I personally think some of the rules are a bit odd and should not be used.

3) For further grammatical issues, either take a closer glance at your English textbook. Or, don't be afraid to look up the rules on the internet from an official source if you are still confused.

4) Don't be afraid to ask for help from someone you know has a better grasp of grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Whether it be a parent, a friend with mad spelling skills, or someone much wiser than you, ask for help. There's absolutely nothing wrong with asking for help, and in the end it'll be much more beneficial to you than just ignoring the rules or making them up as you go along. Besides, it is also helpful to have someone look over your writing, as they may catch grammatical or spelling mistakes that you've missed.

Those are just some tips, but everyone functions differently. Nonetheless, it is important that all writers have a grasp of proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation because, in the end, those things make you look more professional and more like you know what you are doing. It is a sign that you take your writing seriously, which is always a plus if you want to publish your work or to take your mad writing skills to the next level.