avatarSreese

Summary

The article defends the importance of editors and grammar-checking tools like Grammarly for Medium writers, emphasizing the value of proper grammar and the role of editors as volunteers who help maintain writing quality.

Abstract

The author of the article, "In Defense Of Editors And Grammarly," argues that Medium writers should utilize available tools such as Grammarly to improve their writing and respect the editorial process. The article highlights that while Grammarly is not infallible, it significantly aids in refining an article's grammar and spelling. Editors are likened to volunteer firefighters, providing an essential service to the community without charge. They ensure adherence to Medium's rules and the publication's specific guidelines, saving writers from potential errors. The author also cautions against unsolicited editing from non-editors and encourages private, constructive feedback. The piece concludes by urging writers to be kind to editors, readers, and each other, while also showcasing a list of Medium writers and editors who exemplify this ethos.

Opinions

  • Grammarly is a valuable tool for writers, despite its imperfections, and should be used to enhance the quality of writing on Medium.
  • Editors are crucial to the Medium platform, offering their time and expertise voluntarily to maintain high standards of content.
  • Writers have a responsibility to proofread their work and should not solely rely on editors to correct their mistakes.
  • Those who are not professional editors should refrain from making public corrections and instead offer private, supportive feedback.
  • Writing on Medium in English, especially for non-native speakers, requires adherence to grammatical rules, and tools like Grammarly can be particularly beneficial.
  • The article suggests a comparison between the diligence required by editors and the dedication of volunteer firefighters, emphasizing the importance of their roles in their respective communities.
  • Writers are encouraged to appreciate and support editors, which includes not making repeat, preventable grammatical errors.
  • The author advocates for a culture of kindness and mutual support among writers, editors, and readers on the Medium platform.

In Defense Of Editors And Grammarly

Editors And Grammarly Are Assets To Medium Writers

Okay, bullied Medium writers, I went to bat for you. I got after the grammar bullies for you. Now you have responsibilities on your end.

Don’t expect those bigger kids to stop bugging you if you keep spitting at them. You have to do your part. Be good.

Remember, Medium is about content for the reader. Readers, and therefore editors, look for the use of proper English grammar. Use Grammarly if you don’t proofread well or if you aren’t sure about grammar or spelling.

Grammarly Works, But Isn’t Perfect I don’t want to hear your excuses about Grammarly’s accuracy. If you’re sure that it isn’t correcting your sentence as you intend, and the sentence is, in fact, grammatically correct, you can disregard the Grammarly advice. Grammarly’s programming is not perfect, nor are you.

I can tell you that every article I write goes to Grammarly before being submitted. It’s as easy as copy, paste, correct, copy, paste. It’s a quick process.

Editors Are Medium’s Volunteer Firefighters Editors are volunteers and provide a valuable and necessary service free of charge. Keep that in mind. They have a job to do and a duty to do it well.

Do you live in a community that has volunteer fire protection? Are you a volunteer firefighter or EMT, getting up at 3 a.m. to answer a call? Whether the call is for a CO detector going off (most often a false alarm) or a raging house fire?

That’s your editor. Your editor might point out mistakes you made and should do so diplomatically. An editor might get a little porky if you repeatedly make the same mistakes. If a firefighter often gets called to preventable accidents, she might also get a little irritated.

If English is not your primary language and you write on Medium in English, I commend you for your boldness, but you still must comply with the rules of the language. That makes it even more challenging for you, but it’s necessary. Use Grammarly or a proofreader!

Editors also save your butt. They take the time to check all of the rules and regulations of Medium and the specific publication to which you’ve submitted. That’s a lot of work.

Amateur Editors If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything. If you aren’t a publication’s editor, don’t consider it your place to make corrections for the publication. If you feel you must comment on something self-published, try a private note. Be nice, be helpful and use facts without judging.

Photo by Adam Nemeroff on Unsplash

So writers, be kind to your editors. Be kind to your readers. Be kind to everybody, because you should, and put your best work out there.

Check out the work of some of these kind folks who are writers (and some editors) on Medium: MarkfromBoston, Margie Willis, Oluwatomisin Awe, Suzanne Pisano, RGomez, You,Reece Reid, Michael L Butler, Scot Butwell, Scott Younkin, Jameson Steward, Rodrigo S-C, Judy Derby BSc., Janin Lyndovsky, Adrienne Beaumont, KiKi Walter

If you’d like to buy me a coffee, your support is very much appreciated, or…

Editor
Kindness
Grammar
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