Publications that are published on a daily basis have a high demand for fresh up-to-date content, which may be one reason, why so much work of poor quality slips through the cracks. Some of these articles are riddled with misspelled words, bad grammar, fragmented sentences and repetitive phrases. Many sentences simply don't make sense.
With the use of spell check and other helpful aids spelling errors should be reduced. There are many style guidebooks on the market to assist the novice writer. There are also many good sites on the web that offer helpful advice for writers regarding style, grammar, punctuation and other pertinent information.
Everyone makes an occasional error when writing that slips by and is overlooked but when an article contains several mistakes it gives the impression that the writer composed the piece quickly and did not bother to proofread. Writers should take more pride in their work. There are writers who submit their work for free in order to gain exposure and so they may feel that since they are not getting paid it is okay to submit work that is average or below normally acceptable standards. What these writers fail to realize is that having that kind of attitude certainly won't help them land paying jobs.
Even if you are writing for exposure rather than monetary gain you should still want to showcase your work in the best possible light. Here are a few tips to remember before submitting your work for publication. Once you've finished your article, read it then read it again. Have a friend or family member read it. It is often possible to overlook our own mistakes but others can spot them easier than we can. Use spell check but keep in mind that it's not foolproof for catching all errors. It is necessary to read your article to catch errors that spell check doesn't find.
For example, you may have typed if for it or to instead of two. These errors will go unnoticed unless you check your work carefully. When reading your article pay close attention for mistakes such as these.
Although many publications now find fragmented sentences more acceptable than in previous times, at least be sure that your sentence makes sense. If you read a sentence in your article that doesn't sound right, rephrase it in a more appropriate manner. If the sentence doesn't sound right to you it won't sound right to your readers either.
If the person reading your article is lost or confused, you've defeated the purpose of writing it. Using colorful language to entertain and engage the reader can be useful but if the message is unclear try to word your article in a more concise manner so the main points are clear and understandable. If you want others to respect your work you have to respect it as well. Put forth your best effort and the rewards will be positive.
