I Made An Outrageous Suggestion

Summary

The author expressed frustration on Twitter about writers' spelling errors, particularly in the context of correcting others' grammar, which sparked a mix of outrage, humor, and agreement.

Abstract

The author, exasperated by frequent spelling mistakes made by writers discussing 'grammer', took to Twitter to suggest that writers should be able to spell. This offhand remark led to a variety of responses, from outrage to humor and support, with some accusing the author of targeting dyslexics, which was not the intention. The author clarified that while spelling proficiency is not mandatory, it is beneficial for serious writers and that tools like spell checkers can be helpful. The discussion also touched on the importance of grammar and punctuation in writing, with a humorous quote from Tony Galbier about common writing mistakes. The author concluded by providing a link to a full article on the subject and shared additional writings on related topics.

Opinions

The author believes that writers, especially those who correct others' grammar, should have a good command of spelling.
The author's comment was not aimed at any individual and was meant as a general observation, not as an attack on people with dyslexia.
The author acknowledges that dyslexic individuals often produce better writing because they are conscientious about their spelling and use tools to help them.
The author stands by the idea that serious writers should learn to spell but also accepts that using tools to aid spelling is a valid approach.
The author finds it amusing and somewhat frustrating to see writers make basic spelling errors, particularly when discussing grammar.
The author is open to criticism about their own writing, as evidenced by their response to a comment about comma placement.
The author values the importance of proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling in making writing appealing and readable to an audience.

And Twitter went mad!

It was one too many incidences of writers talking about ‘grammer’ without apparently being able to spell it.

I dared to suggest that writers should learn to spell!

Twitter was outraged!

It was a bit tongue in cheek. I don’t really care whether people on Twitter can spell, but I’d watched one too many writers correcting each other’s ‘grammer’ to not have a rant. They can’t even spell it!

My comment wasn’t directed at an individual. It wasn’t a response to a conversation. No one was tagged. I wasn’t getting anyone in particular. It was just an observation. Venting frustration, if you will.

Then the accusations started flying. Oh my gosh, I wasn’t getting at dyslexics. Actually, dyslexic people are usually really conscientious, using spell checkers because they know it’s a weakness. The result? They often create noticeably better prose than people who just don't care.

But I stand by my position that it’s a good idea for serious writers to learn to spell. It can help you achieve your writing ambitions. And if you can’t, using a tool might be worthwhile. But it’s not compulsory. Is that so bad?

To be fair, amongst the objections was a lot of hilarity and agreement, so perhaps it’s not just me who cringes at the sight of these things. And someone said my comma was in the wrong place. I take that on the chin! It probably was!

Thankfully, as more people started making the same points, I managed to find the ‘turn comments off’ button. Perfect.

I’ll leave you with a quote from Tony Galbier who wrote a fabulous piece about why people won’t read your writing, with a nice bit of humour. His full story is below…

5. Painfully simple grammatical errors

While your avpiding call’s to action; go a-head and ad this won too you’re list to. Your style, handling, and writing execution ARE important. Oxford commas are important and there their and they’re are important.

SOCIAL MEDIA

I Made An Outrageous Suggestion

And Twitter went mad!

All of the Dumb Reasons People Won’t Read Your Writing

And it’s not because your content sucks…probably.