There are a lot of things to worry about when writing, but mistakes are probably near the top of the list for most writers. If you're anything like me, you probably also experience a bit of anxiety when it comes to your writing. You might wonder if it's any good, if it's clear enough, or even if it makes sense, period.
The biggest mistake you can make when you're trying to write is to think it's so easy that you should just be able to dash it off without preparing.
That's what we all wish would happen, right? We'd like to wake up in the morning and find that a novel has been written for us in our sleep. But unfortunately, we're going to have to do this the hard way: by sitting down and actually putting one word after another until we have an entire essay or article or book.
Have you ever been in a situation where you were trying to make an important point, but no one was listening? Maybe they were distracted, or maybe they just didn't think what you had to say was worth hearing. Maybe you weren't making yourself clear.
Whether it's because we're distracted or because we think our message is obvious, we all fall into the trap of being less than clear sometimes.
Writing mistakes. We’ve all made them, and we’re going to make them again (and again and again). The key is learning from your mistakes so you don’t repeat them in the future.
Here are some of the common writing mistakes to avoid:
Not proofreading
Many writers rush through their first draft and neglect to revise before moving on to the next project. This is a bad habit because it means you’ll miss some pretty significant spelling mistakes and grammatical errors—like the “its” vs. “it’s” error that I just made.
Not taking breaks when necessary
Sometimes, writers will work themselves into a frenzy, pounding away at their keyboards, trying to get their articles out as fast as possible or meet a tight deadline. While it’s important to not procrastinate, this also might not be the best way to proceed with your writing projects.
Not using correct grammar and punctuation
This is probably the most common mistake people make when they write. When we speak, we use our voice and intonation to convey meaning. In writing, though, it's all in the words—and that means that proper grammar and punctuation are crucial if you want to be understood correctly. A missing comma or apostrophe can change the whole meaning of a sentence!
Misspelling words
While spell-check on computers has made this one less common, it still happens all the time. The problem is that spell-check doesn't necessarily know what word you meant to use. If you type "teh", spell-check won't alert you that there's an error—but your reader probably will!
Too Much Background Information
Sometimes new writers get stuck in their heads and think that they have to explain everything about a topic or idea before they can move on. In truth, an experienced writer will assume that the reader has some knowledge about the topic already and will only need a little extra information before moving on.
Using confusing language
Using big words that people don't understand or lots of jargon can obscure what you're trying to say. Use language that is easy for everyone to understand clearly and directly.
In Conclusion
There's no way to become a good writer without making writing mistakes. And there's no way to become a great writer without making mistakes and learning from them.
That doesn't mean it feels good to make them, though. Mistakes hurt. However, it's OK to make mistakes when you're writing—mistakes are how we learn and grow. They help us get better at writing and at life in general. And if you're not making mistakes, it's an indication that you're not taking enough risks!
The first step in learning from your mistakes is owning them—admitting you made a mistake and that you need to do better next time.
Once that hurdle is cleared, the real fun begins: figuring out what you did wrong and what you can do differently next time.
Copyright, 2022 zheanders. All rights reserved.
