Grammar, Grammar, Grammar!

As a writer, it is extremely important to check your grammar. It is easy to overlook small mistakes that can easily sneak into the work you do. I fall victim to this problem more often than I would like to admit. It is easy as a writer to forget that you make mistakes. You may not make the same mistakes that other people might make, but you still make them, and it can be hard to face that. It is increasing harder to keep your grammar skills up to par, especially in this digital age of texting and "lolspeak." I know that I am weird when it comes to text messages, but I refuse to sacrifice good grammar simply to send a text off mere seconds faster.

And even then people make mistakes.

Yes, I know the difference between "your" and "you're;" I don't get tripped up when it comes when to use "they're," "their," or "there." I can use the Oxford comma, and I know when to use a semi-colon (or even a colon). Does that mean I'm perfect? No way. I still make some basic mistakes now and then, and some less basic mistakes when I get a bit fancy. I know that tense changes slip into my writing too often, and I sometimes slip a progressive verb in places that really don't work. Even now and then I slip and make the same mistakes that I just implied I don't make! No writer is prefect, no matter what you may think.

As I write this, I am reminded that I have submitted work that honestly needed massive revision. Too often I have waited until the last minute to get to work. Heck, I recent writing sample I put together took nearly six hours to complete with about seven total drafts passed between me and a friend of mine who works as an editor. Now, don't get me wrong, a large part of those revisions was formatting my work into APA style standards (I confess I am much more adjusted to MLA style standards and Chicago style fills me with dread).

So what is a hip young writer to do? Well, you are in luck, that is exactly what this post is all about! Here are some simple, but effective techniques you can start using today to drastically improve your writing and minimize those annoying grammatical errors and mistakes.

1. Slow Down!

If you're not careful,
you could make mistakes like this one!

That's right! Slow down. Write slower. Okay, I get it, you have so much to say that you have to just write it down before it escapes forever. Okay, but are you willing you write that so fast that you make mistakes and then you have to spend possibly three or four times more time going back and translating your "genius" into something other people can understand? Sometimes, yes, this is necessary (we'll get to that in a bit), but other times you are deluding yourself and you really need to get a reality check. You don't have to get it all out before you forget it all, because if it was really that good, you should be able to write it out without losing it like a small breeze.

Slowing down will also help you keep an eye out for typos or changing tenses. Some mistakes can easily be avoided if you take your time to carefully craft your work. Some people use the term wordsmith to describe what we do. I think that is an apt word. Similar to a blacksmith, a great piece takes time. It is carefully crafted over time, not within seconds. You might have loaded this blog post in seconds, but I promise it took much longer to write.

2. Double, Triple, and Quadruple Check Your Work!

Tideous, but effective!

Yes, I know, some of you are upset. I have now told you in two tips in a row to slow down. Why is that? because it is important. Take breaks, get your eyes away from your writing. Sometimes all it takes is a fresh pair of eyes on a draft to spot mistakes that you may have missed before. That's why others can spot things you missed! They haven't had their eyes glued to the work for hours at a time.

Additionally, there are times that sudden inspiration hits and, honestly, you just can't be slowed down by hunting for errors. That's okay, let the inspiration ride, but remember that it will need a bit of work to make it as polished as possible. This isn't a bad thing.

3. Have a Style Manual Ready

Personally, this is my favorite.

Yes, I know. You feel like you know so very much when it comes to grammar and stylistic choices that you don't need the rules close at hand. You are also wrong and reading this article, so I think I've made my point.  Yes, it is slower to thumb through a handbook. Yes, the tips might be very basic. Honestly, though, I don't see how one of these bad boys isn't a normal part of a lot of writers' arsenal. Heck, while we're at it, you should have a dictionary and a thesaurus within arm's reach as well.

Everyone needs help. This is an inescapable rule of life. It has been said that no man is an island unto himself. This is true. No one stands alone. Mistakes are simply a part of life. Having a plan to minimize those mistakes only makes sense. Which leads us to tip number four!

4. If Possible, Have Someone Else Edit Your Work

Red marks can save you
embarrassment later.

You miss things. It's okay; this is a judge free zone. You are not perfect, nor are you expected to be. You will miss things in your own writing. You know what you meant, and it is very likely you keep that firmly in mind when you read your work to edit it. Other people will see mistake you may easily miss. Sometime you correct the mistakes in your head as you read them. This is natural and many people have been tripped up by this.

While we're on this topic, it is important you carefully consider what has been said to you. Don't get offended at what someone suggests. You know your first (and maybe eighth) draft isn't spotless, so why are you so up in arms when the person you had edit your work points out that this or that isn't clear, or you changed tense, or whatever you did? That is what they're there for! Maybe they have a suggestion of how you could word something clearer, take that advice! Sometimes you will flat out disagree with proposed edits. That's okay too! You don't have to do everything someone else suggest, but you do have to to be gracious, or you could lose a valuable asset!

Additionally, you could make them mad.

Ultimately the best advice I can give is to keep at it. Yes, it will take time. Yes, you might fail more times than you succeed. If you are really serious, then treat those times as learning experiences, get up on the horse, and ride again my friend!