I am a professional freelance writer and editor and an avid reader. Unfortunately, it happens all too often that a story has promise but falls flat due to poor mechanics. Most of the material I edit is web copy, which, granted, has a different set of expectations from fictional work. However, the basic tenets of what is correct and what is incorrect remain the same.
Many novels that have been professionally published contain common errors. Perhaps it is because editors know that most readers will not recognize the errors, or it may be a matter of budgets and deadlines. In either case, I am appalled when I open a popular book, expecting to lose myself in a story, only to lose myself in mechanical mishaps.
Everyone makes typos and commits the occasional sin against the grammar and syntax gods. That isn't what I'm addressing here. I'm addressing problems that saturate the world of literature and downgrade its overall quality.
It needs to stop here.
My fellow writers, I implore you to dive into the chapters that follow. My hope is to spread information about the things that only complete writing nerds care about.
YOU ARE READING
Things Every Writer Should Know (but Most Don't)
Non-FictionYou have a wonderful idea for a story, and that is fantastic! But how can you make sure that poor mechanics don't distract your writers from your message? I address some of the most common errors in writing and tell you how to fix them.
