As you develop an eye for recognizing your errors and making corrections to your work, you will also find you are sensitive to the mistakes others make. Before you go off as a self appointed grammar enforcer, consider the following tips.
How To Say It
Be polite and helpful. If you notice someone has made a mistake in spelling or simple grammar, point it out nicely. Remember that whenever you correct someone there is a chance she will misunderstand, so consider your tone and avoid sounding like you know best.
Message privately or email when possible. Taking an extra minute to find a blogger’s email instead of leaving a public comment allows that blogger to save face. Some don’t care so much, but others will take offense and suspect you are grandstanding when you choose the public over the private option. Just as you would probably prefer someone pulled you aside and quietly brought that open fly to your attention, so should you choose discretion.
Better Left Unsaid?
Allow for the possibility the mistake was intentional. I follow a few bloggers whom I once thought grammatically challenged. Now I understand their folksy tone, colloquial phrasing and creative spelling are all part of the voice they put forward on their blogs. If I were to step in and comment, I would prove I am the one who doesn’t get it.
Consider ignoring when someone violates an advanced grammar rule. Most of us do not have the gift of explaining complicated grammar rules in a manner that does not come across as pompous and superior. It is better to stick to pointing out the simple stuff and leave the big lessons alone.
Don’t expect to work miracles with your advice. Some writers butcher the English language and yet they seem to have a following. Perhaps their folksy, regular guy or gal voices appeal to their readers. If you see someone is making a lot of errors, you may find yourself constantly on the offensive if you point out every mistake they make.
Consider Other Writers Your Colleagues Not Your Competition
Remember that professional writers on the internet span a bigger spectrum than that which once ruled in the print world – from those who write scholarly discourse to those who write reviews in broken English (presumably more believable because of the broken English.)
It is easy to fall prey to proving your worth by pointing out the errors in another writer’s work, but in doing so you risk alienating someone who could connect you to writing assignments. A writer who knows his style isn’t suited to a particular job will be more likely to recommend you if you haven’t made him feel defensive.
The best way to prove your writing talents is not by editing others’ published works, but by putting your very best writing out there and reserving your editing advice for those few friends who trust your judgment and motives. Use your sensitivity to others’ mistakes to help you edit your own work more closely.
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I would add that if you want to correct someone, be sure to check with Grammar Girl first. I’ve corrected an individual before, and turns out, the individual knew there was an exception to the rule and preferred to use the exception. I later found out- there are MANY exceptions to rules. haha.
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
Excellent point, Leah! I have had an experience where I double checked before I commented and I would have been wrong had I given my unsolicited advice. Always best to be sure.
Hi Tammi,
Thoughtful, helpful advice for sure. If I find an innocent mistake that makes no real difference, I tend to leave it alone. If it affects the context or something I may (gently) point it out – privately if possible.
If the post is riddled with spelling and grammar landmines I tend to just not frequent that blog any longer. Mistakes are one thing but a lack of knowledge is another.
Great post, Tammi.
George
I have never presumed to correct a stranger’s work. With people I know, I expect that they’ll understand my motivation is to help, not to call out or criticize.
When someone corrects me, I can usually tell if the person is simply pointing an error or trying to take me down a peg.
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Tammi, you practice what you preach because you graciously shared with me privately a mistake I made in a blog post. Thank you for your sensitivity to a writer’s work and your willingness to point out the not-so obvious.
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Thanks for the twitter follow. I’m enjoying reading through your very informative blog!
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