I don’t believe that there is one right way on how you should approach writing. Like your choice in reading material, your style in writing will depend on personal preferences, habits and interests. As an artistic skill, writing is a form of personal expression which cannot be defined by a clear set of rules. However, when you are looking to present your work to an audience there are a few general points you might want to consider:
- Correct spelling as a mark of quality
With the
advent of computers correct spelling has become hardly a chore as
spell-checking programs take on the bulk of your work here. If you prefer to
write in a program without a spell-checking function, it is a simple matter of
minutes to copy and paste your text into another program to get it checked.
Correct spelling is a mark of quality which can be assessed by a glance and may
decide your reader whether to peruse your text further or not.
- Who am I addressing?
Your audience
will guide you in your choice of text style and register. If you want to write
an article, you will probably choose a more structured text style and a more
sophisticated register compared to a blog entry for example. In case of publishing, the age of your target
readers will also be reflected in the rating placed on your written texts.
Certain topics are inappropriate for certain audiences.
- Proofreading
What would you
say is the ideal number of times for proofreading a text? I would say at least
two, ideally four times. Why? Because normally you can only concentrate on one
or two aspects of your text while reading it again. During my first run, I usually check for
spelling and grammar. Round Number two, I use to correct personal spelling
kinks – like there vs. their, pursue vs. peruse,… The third time around, I keep
an eye on vocabulary and repetitions and during the fourth round I look for
coherence and form.
Care for these three aspects shows
a certain degree of seriousness when it comes to producing written material.
Although in certain modern lyrical endeavours exceptions even exist for correct
spelling, most texts profit from a spell-check. Ultimately, your readers will
decide whether they wish to consume your material or not and if you are writing
merely for your own pleasure then you are free as a bird.
Ready to get started? What’s your
next piece of writing going to be?
-Vivienne
Categories:
Wheel of Writing
