Grammatical Errors/Typos
Typos and grammatical errors can make your writing look unprofessional and distract your readers from your message.
To avoid these mistakes, it's important to proofread your work carefully. Read through your writing several times, or ask a friend or colleague to review it for you. Use online tools like Grammarly to help catch errors and provide suggestions for improvement.
Words that are Commonly Used/Spelt Wrong:
• Affect/Effect - "Affect" is a verb meaning to influence or produce a change in something, while "effect" is a noun meaning a change that results from an action.
• Who/Whom - "Who" is a subject pronoun, while "whom" is an object pronoun. Example: "Who is coming to the party?" vs.
"To whom should I address this letter?"
• Complement/Compliment - "Complement" refers to something that completes or enhances something else, while "compliment" is an expression of praise or admiration.
Weak Sentence Structure
Weak sentence structure refers to sentences that are poorly constructed or arranged, resulting in writing that feels awkward or confusing.
How to Fix It:
• Fragments: Fragments are incomplete sentences that are missing either a subject, a verb, or both. To fix this, make sure each sentence has a subject and a verb, and a purpose.
• Passive voice: Passive voice is when the subject of the sentence is acted upon rather than doing the action. To fix this, use active voice whenever possible, where the subject is doing the action.
• Lack of variety: It can make writing feel monotonous and dull. Vary the length and structure of our sentences to keep readers engaged.
• Overuse of adverbs and adiectives: While these descriptive words can add color to writing, too many of them can make sentences feel bloated and ineffective. Use these words sparingly, and focus on using strong verbs and precise nouns to convey your meaning.
Lack of Show Don't Tell
One of the most common writing mistakes is telling your readers what's happening instead of showing them. This can make your writing feel flat and unengaging. To avoid this mistake, use descriptive language and sensory details to show your readers what's happening in your story. Instead of saying "He was angry," show his anger through his actions and reactions.
When to Show Don't Tell:
• When introducing a new character: Instead of simply describing a character's appearance and personality, show the character in action.
• When setting the scene: Rather than providing a straightforward description of a setting, use sensory details and actions to show the reader what the setting is like.
• When conveying emotion: For example, instead of saying "She was angry," show the reader her clenched fists, raised voice, and scowl.
• When revealing information: Instead of directly telling the reader what they need to know, show the information through dialogue, actions, and descriptive details.
Editing While Writing
While there are some benefits to editing as you write, such as catching errors and refining your writing as you go, it's important to balance this with the need to keep moving forward and maintain momentum in your writing. It's often better to focus on getting your thoughts down on paper first and then revising and editing once you've completed a full draft.
Down Sides to Editing While Writing
• It can slow you down
• You can get frustrated
• It can cause you to see writing as a chore
• It can stifle vour creativity
• It can cause writer's block
• It can break the flow
• It can lead to self-doubt
