Nothing screams, “I’m not really a writer,” like bad grammar. I don’t mean the occasional typo, because I’m the world’s worst for typing something in a hurry and sneaking in a few mistakes that I fully knew better about. I’m talking about the full-on lack of grammatical convention.
This one kills me: “A policeman can only be pushed so far, because a cop has their limits.” Oh, heck no. How many policemen were mentioned in the previous sentence? HINT: does it end with “mAn” or “mEn?” The word used was “policeman.” Singular. Therefore, the possessive pronoun used at the end of the sentence can’t be “their” but should rather be “his.”
This is only one stand-alone example of some of the horrible grammar I’m seeing actually making it to print in the world of publishing today. Whether it’s from the overabundance of writers who decide to self-publish without hiring an editor, or whether it’s from the traditional publishing industry that has admittedly grown very rushed in their attempts to stay on top of the market, the end result is the same: there is some crappy grammar in published works.
There are no barriers to publication now, and sadly, there should be. I wish the industry as a whole had a task force of elderly, retired, red pen-wielding English teachers who would stop and inspect each and every manuscript on its way out the door. It’s not so you can’t be published, it’s so you don’t embarrass yourself.
Sadly, this is an era of all things digital when everyone decided he could be a published author (see what I did there? everyone=singular=he, not they). Just because you have the time on your hands and the available computer, that doesn’t make you an author. So, what does?
Education, first of all, and I don’t mean a snooty Master’s degree in Creative Writing. Just learn your craft. Study other writers. Edit edit edit. (yes, two of the previous four phrases were fragments…it was for effect). Don’t even think of making the leap from writer to author without first knowing your stuff. Grammar, style, voice, then passion…in that order.
While I agree, it would help matters if grammar was actually taught nowadays. And I don’t mean at an MFA level, I mean when you are actually learning to read/write. It wasn’t taught to me. Sure, I have gone and done my own courses, but how hard is it to learn grammar at 30? VERY. I’m a lawyer by profession, and I’m not stupid, but trying to learn the rules of grammar makes my head hurt. I persist, but perhaps not very well. For example, I would not have said, if asked, that everyone is singular. One is singular, everyone is lots of people, so isn’t it therefore NOT singular? See, now my head hurts again. Sometimes we writers, as much as we try, have to rely on other people (i.e. our editors) to find and fix these subtle nuances. Certainly, though, a writer who does not use an editor at all has no one to blame but himself.
I agree there should be barriers for publication, although for far worse sins than the ones you have mentioned! Let’s not even get me started on head-hopping, repetitive language, dialogue tags, talking heads, lack of setting, lack of characterisation, lack of plot, and oh my, lack of conflict!
Very true. I wasn’t even addressing the “content” in this post, simply because I’ve read some books that had an awesome premise but I couldn’t get through the grammar! “Don’t be boring” is for another day!
Amen, sister. You gotta know the rules before you can break them! And READ READ READ as if your life depended up on it.
THANK YOU! I got a little bit of heated discussion over the my post about making sure you’re a reader if you’re trying to be a writer…”I don’t have time,” simply won’t cut it!
Ha ha – upon.
“Irish poets, learn your trade,
Sing whatever is well made,
Scorn the sort now growing up
All out of shape from toe to top.” WB Yeats, from “Under Ben Bulben”
In a spirit of agreement with your sentiments I draw your attention to this lovely quotation from WB Yeats. I often use it as spur to myself, to remind me that poetry and indeed all writing is a craft, to be practised, to be acquired, to be polished.
As for one of your other salient points, let me see, what can I say?
I am a retired, elderly (57?) English teacher who wields the symbolic red pen mercilessly, on my own work. That is my responsibility to my craft, to present my work as polished as I can.
Thank you for posting your thoughts, the poor old internet is at times awash and overwhelmed with inferior standards of English. Those of who care must do what we can to fly the flag of accuracy, to lead, perhaps, by example.
Thank You Again,
Kevin
PS Good standard language is no barrier to creativity and personal expression, au contraire.
Very eloquently put! And I love the fact that you mention slashing your own work with the pen first…we have to be our own worst enemies when it comes to making sure that material is ready for outside eyes. I love your post script…too many of my students will argue, “That’s just how I talk, that’s just my style.” No, that’s just how you weren’t taught very well in lower grades, and the reader who just spent $7 on your book isn’t going to appreciate “your style” if it’s not part of the story.
Whilst I agree with the need for good grammar, it is also important that readers and reviewers are aware that some grammar rules are different in the UK and other parts of the world. In British English “they” can be singular and often is. Shakespeare used “they” in that way. We British writers are regularly criticized by Americans for using perfectly correct British grammar and spellings. It places us under pressure to Americanize our books (you will note that I did not write Americanise), which is a great shame.
I agree. I just finished editing a book from a UK author and I was instantly taken aback by the “poor” grammar, until I “realised” it was just different grammar conventions. Fortunately, it is soon apparent what is standard convention for the author’s home country, and what is simply sloppy proofreading.
I agree entirely! I think that there should be more English teachers like the one I had my sophomore year in high school. At the time, I was going to quit school. I believe I threatened dropping out at least four times that year. Now, I credit that him for everything I’ve ever learned in my writing. It is because of him that I’m able to write the way I do. I’ve never learned more from anyone – high school or university – than from him.
Good point. As an editor, I come across a lot of books that could have been bestsellers based on their plots alone, but they weren’t given a second glance by an agent of a publisher due to the rampant grammar errors. Worse, look at the numbers of reviews on Amazon for books in which someone gives a 2 or 3 star rating and states, “The story was great, but I couldn’t finish it because of all the mistakes and misspelled words.”
I am a sixth grade teacher, and I not only teach grammar, I expect good grammar from my students. I find that they’ve been taught the rules, but they’ve never been held accountable for them in their own writing. I make sure they know why each comma is there, make them explain it orally using such strange phrases as object pronoun, subject/verb agreement, appositive….yea, I’m evil. Years later, they email me with thanks. Most of them.
Awesome! I’m also an English teacher in a correctional facility, and what I’ve found to be the biggest obstacle in their grammar for writing is that they don’t use standard grammar rules when they speak. I constantly have to reiterate that it’s perfectly fine to speak any way you want to when speaking to your family or friends, but in your writing you have to stick to standard conventions. I use the example of someone submitting a letter to his employer, requesting the promotion to a higher vacant position. If you work in the garden center of Walmart and the garden center manager position becomes available, you’re not getting that job if your letter makes you sound ignorant. The manager is the face of the company to the public, and the admins will not promote someone who doesn’t sound intelligent.
Thanks!
Yes, it is an important issue and it is sad when a good story is ruined because of bad grammar. Although, I think there is a typo gremlin who hides in the wings until you think you’ve done, then pow!
That gremlin hits me from time to time, usually in blog posts that I thought were ready!
Reblogged this on Books, Books, Books, and commented:
Aha! Another grammar fanatic like me! Former students, does this sound like anyone you know?
While I mostly agree, it isn’t just a British language convention to use “they”. The writer in question may have been attempting gender neutrality. Rather than saying “his/her limits”, they generally stated “they”. I have friends who prefer gender neutral pronouns and I use “they” when speaking of said person.
Just my two cents.
As the king of typos and someone who has built a reputation as a writer, I’m the exception to the rule!
Actually, that would just mean you keep us editors in business!
I agree wholeheartedly with your points, except when it comes to grammar leading the charge before style and voice. Grammar is essential, true. However, the others are the framework, and without them, the colon stands alone.
You make a good point, so maybe I’m looking at it strictly from a marketability standpoint. Authors who skip grammar conventions entirely (and I mean bestselling traditionally published authors, not just the self-pubbed ones!) are potentially hurting the business of books. The third book in a row that a consumer purchases that is filled with errors to the point that the book becomes unreadable is going to make readers really cautious about book buying.
Amen! I am actually working up a similar post on my blog right now, because it’s not just so-called authors who don’t know how to write. Many so-called editors aren’t doing those authors any favors. It’s crazy. Like the blind leading the blind.
You’re right, I’ve seen some works and thought, “You actually HAD an editor???” I will say, though, after becoming an editor myself, I’ve had a number of “shoot the messenger” moments where I’ve actually told the author, “There’s really no need to credit me in the acknowledgments because I don’t want my name on this book,” after the author shot down the majority of my edits.