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Ciel, yes that is the problem. If we choose the wrong words then the spellchecker does not get it
posted by
Azur
on February 19, 2005 at 11:58 AM
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Hi Kooka
If you wish to sell your writing you need to make the distinction between how it feels when you write, and how it reads. The person that you try to sell the work to will not care how it feels but they will care how it reads. Many professional writers do not have the luxury of waiting for one or two days to edit--they must write and the moment they are finished they must edit. It is not ideal but needs must.
Perhaps one day you could post a story that you sent out--it would be interesting to see the difference.
I don't think that Gheeghee is claiming that spellcheck is a cure all but she is showing what a distraction typos are.
If the wrong word is selected but the spelling is correct, spellcheck cannot know that the meaning is incorrect. Something that spellcheck seems to miss a lot is "loosing". Many people on Blogit write "loosing my mind" when it should be "losing my mind". Perhaps it is worth remembering it and thinking of the song by REM "Losing My Religion".
posted by
Azur
on February 14, 2005 at 7:49 PM
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MayB
Part of my problem comes from the way I write. If i stop to edit I loose my self and end up not writing as good as when I just let myself go. Professional writers talk about how they can not write and edit at the same time. They have to finish up writing and then go back a day or so later and do their editing. If they try to edit right after writing it is too fresh in their minds and they miss the typos.
That would mean I would write a post one day and have to then spend time several days later editing it. I might be able to catch the typos, but that would be more time I do not really have. The wiring that I send out is where I spend all my real effort editing. At this time I can not afford to spend that time editing my posts for Blogit.
I do try to post without typos it is just hard to do. And Gheeghee's claim that all it takes is a spell check is way off. I had run my post through a spell check before I posted it and that spell check did not catch those mistakes. In fact I even put it through the same spell check she claims to have and it did not catch all the mistakes she claims it to have.
posted by
kooka_lives
on February 14, 2005 at 4:39 PM
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MayB - A needed reminder to us all. Some need it much more than others. I'm somewhere in between. I try to catch my mistakes and typos but often find one I missed much later.
posted by
TAPS.
on February 14, 2005 at 1:32 PM
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Dew knot trust yore spell chequer two pic up awl yore miss takes...
posted by
Ciel
on February 14, 2005 at 1:24 PM
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great post
I write on my word processor...but even that can make easy and silly mistakes
posted by
_Symphony_
on February 14, 2005 at 5:23 AM
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Kooka, we all have a lot happening in our lives. By your own admission blogit falls low down on your priority list. I urge you to reconsider and incorporate the habit of checking whatever you write wherever you write. Even if it takes up time and energy now spent in other ways it is worth the effort. We each have the choice to concentrate on improving our work.
posted by
Azur
on February 13, 2005 at 9:34 PM
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I have great respect for the craft and for my readers. And I do attempt to make those corrections when I see them. It is not about not wanting to or not seeing the need. I have even written posts apologizing for my short comings when it come to editing myself and leaving typos.
My attitude has never been that I am above editing or better than that. It has been that I need to prioritize things and Blogit falls low on that list. I gain readers by my ideas and try to make my writing powerful enough that they will forgive me my failings. I hope they understand that I view them as being intelligent and I respect them highly. But I have much more happening in my life. I find I start to loose track of time when I get into blogging and so there has to be a cost. Either I have to give up writing, give up replying to comments, give up reading other's posts or give up editing my own. The last ends up being what I see to be the easiest to give up in order for me to be part of the community here. Otherwise all I would have time for would be to write and edit my post. I would loose out on reading what other's write and replying to other's comments. Time is a very fleeting thing and one must spend it wisely.
posted by
kooka_lives
on February 13, 2005 at 8:04 PM
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Great post! Having respect for the craft we claim as our lives and passions should be foremost in all our minds, even here on Blogit.
posted by
Gheeghee
on February 13, 2005 at 7:40 PM
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Dylan. I can only smile as I watch people try to rewrite the rules on this one. Thank you
posted by
Azur
on February 13, 2005 at 7:12 PM
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MayB, thank you!
You are so right! Everyone ought to read this. Unfortunately, many posts on this network are rife with grammatical and punctuational errors, even spelling errors in this, the age of computerized spell-check! I attempt to drop helpful hints wherever I can, but one does not want to sound condescending. I agree that editing to reduce errors shows a greater respect for readers. Clarity of communication should be among the highest writing priorities, and adhering to standards, as a general rule, enhances clarity.
posted by
Dyl_Pickle
on February 13, 2005 at 6:56 PM
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