I have had a couple of conversations over the past week or so pertaining to my use of correct (or lack of) punctuation in my blog posts. There are many that have lectured me over the correct use of punctuation and grammar when writing my blog… (there it goes) simply because of my so-called lack of professionalism.
To that I say… (there it is again) So what?
There is a method to my madness and I have felt the sudden urge to try and explain myself to the masses that may not appreciate my writing technique. I would like to call this technique: the pause affect. Notice… look closely… I used the word affect instead of effect. There is reasoning behind the use of the word that we will discuss later.
I write as though I am speaking to a group or an individual. I tend to use three periods to show a pause in my mode of speaking or an influx of emotion pertaining to a specific topic or thought. The three periods exemplify the art of a pause when speaking… because it shows a pause in a person’s thought process.
I may not use correct puntuation but isn’t the value in the overall content provided? Did the post or article help you in your quest to alleviate a certain pain in your business? We try not to judge a book by the cover and the same concept applies to blog writing. Is the content valuable?
I use the pause affect to show emotion in my posts. If you were to talk to me on the street… I pretty much speak the same way as I write.
Remember…
Content is king and if the point is being portrayed with pause and affect… isn’t there still substance?
What do you think?
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robbyslaughter
I understand that you want people to evaluate you on the quality of your ideas, not your grammar and spelling. The former seems grandiose and important, while the latter feels trivial and pedestrian.
However, you should recognize that there are no minor mistakes. If you don't know the difference between something easy like "affect" and "effect", how can I have any confidence that you have valuable perspectives on something difficult?
You may decide not to use correct punctuation, but unless you lead every blog post with this disclaimer new readers are likely to assume that you are lazy or incompetent. The use of proper grammar does not prove you are brilliant. The failure to do so might cause others to suspect you are a fool.
James Friesen
I kind of agree with @robbyslaughter. I always cringe when I see bad grammar/spelling. Of course I don't mean that it has to be 100% correct, and of course typos happen (I'm famous for writing "you" instead of "your"). But when people are obviously unaware of the right spelling (eg. "rediculous") or don't use the word the right way (affect/effect) it seems to me that they are not well read. It makes me think that maybe their not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and it does distract from what might a very valid, intelligent point they are trying to make.
As to your example Kyle, I like to use the "…" too. I know it doesn't pass the professional editor test, but it's an intentional use of style to create a certain flow to the reading. I have a friend who overuses it and it becomes annoying, but in general I think it's not a mistake so much as a choice of style, something a little more casual.
Anyway… my 2 cents.
James Friesen
Ha! I already found a typo: I used "their" instead of "they're". Does that invalidate my whole post? I'm not an idiot… really.
robbyslaughter
Don't worry, you're just falling victim to Skitt's Law
Elizabeth Friedland
You're right — content is king. Therefore, the content of your writing — including using standard English, correct punctuation and spelling words properly — speaks to the overall quality of your work, the standards you hold yourself to and your professionalism. That's not to say clients and customers can't overlook the occasional typo (we all make mistakes), but if one consistently fails to meet basic English standards, why would they trust you with their business and reputation? It reflects not only on you but on your business, making you look sloppy.
If someone came to interview with Brandswag and they used an overwhelming amount of slang, double negatives and a barrage of "ums" and "likes," would you think them to be competent? You probably wouldn't think, "Well, they're just being creative and free with their expression!" If you're like the rest of the world you'd wonder where in the hell the recieved their education, if any, and promptly show them the door.
What and how we write speaks volumes about us. As a small business owner, this should be especially important to you.
robbyslaughter
I agree with Elizabeth Friedland.
Maybe she'll follow me back on Twitter now. 🙂
Kimberly Coon
Kyle,
I've loved grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage rules, words and the crafting of the English language as long as I can remember. I adore the process of editing, finding those little mistakes and making the product the best it can be. Of course I make mistakes as well, but I put a high value on proper use of the English language.
However, I've never questioned your intelligence as a result of punctuation use (or misuse) in your blog! The rules of writing for marketing, public relations, advertising, journalism, psychology, medicine, social services and other fields have developed over decades.
Expecting bloggers to follow the same rules is a creative injustice!
In my opinion, bending the rules is part of developing and showcasing your style as a writer- a blogger, in particular.
derekmcclain
This is something I think about quite frequently. I always refer back to Seth's Blog (the top blog in the country I might add) and remember his post titled "You're not going to win a Pulitzer Prize." In this post he says, "You're not going to win a Pulitzer Prize
… and neither am I. Nor will any blogger, including those far more deserving." Not that this is an excuse to use improper grammer or misspellings, but it IS something to keep in mind. No one is perfect and those who think they are grammar teachers often are not. I do not think people expect perfection from blog…this is part of what makes them so successful and powerful. Real thoughts from real humans. Not canned, edited, perfectly written marketing language. Saying "So What?" and completely ignoring it might be a stretch, but anyone that reads your blog on a regular basis knows that you do not ignore these rules at all. When in doubt just remember that there is a reason your blog was named one of the Top 200 Social Media Blogs in the Nation. It is great. Perfect grammar or not.
aawhitaker
Looks like you opened up a can of worms here. I'm almost afraid to write something, make a mistake and get picked apart by the grammar-nazis. Should nazis be capitalized? Should I have not put a hyphen between "grammar" and "nazis"? Should I have not put quotes around those last two words?
Occasional mistakes are fine, but if you're overusing "…" or littering your writing with internet slang acronyms, then it becomes annoying and people will slowly stop reading your posts. But I don't think you have that problem, LOL : ) IMHO. L8ER.
Erin McMahon
I'm with you Kyle.
The message is more important than its delivery, up until the point where the delivery is impacting the message. If one's improper use of grammar/spelling/punctuation is making it difficult or impossible for the reader to get the message, then you've got a problem. Where that point is will differ for some members of your audience of course, but I think you are far, far from it.
Regardless of whether you use affect or effect correctly, I can separate my faith in your linguistic capabilities from my faith in your thinking (and I think most others can too).
Brett Atkin
Are we talking about a blog post or a term paper here? In my mind, a blog post is about getting one's thoughts on "paper", not about the correctness of the punctuation. I think the medium of the communication should have some bearing on this discussion….
Crap, I used dictionary.com at least 4 times for this post and I'm (is it okay to use contractions?) sure I still screwed something up…
Lisa Keyes Scott
I'll take brilliant ideas over correct punctuation and grammar any day. What's unfortunate is that the punctuation police hinder others from sharing their unique perspective and insight. I'm not perfect, you're not perfect…but I still want your ideas!
Linda Russell
I'm likewise fond of the ellipsis to indicate a pause in my informal writing. I would, however, question using it in something more formal like a cover letter for a job. As stated by others, ultimately content is most important and blogs don't follow the same formal style as some other written communication.
Out of curiosity, I checked the entry in the AP Stylebook punctuation guide. Part of the entry says, "HESITATION: An ellipsis also may be used to indicate a pause or hesitation in speech, or a thought that the speaker or writer does not complete." But, that's one style guide and another style guide's punctuation section may say something different. In any debate of this kind, people often blur the lines between grammar, punctuation, and style. Yes, they're related elements that contribute to how we write, but some are rules and some are preferences over which there is much debate. I say long live the ellipsis to indicate pause/thought in blog entries!
Debbie – Indiana
I'm also a 3-dot writer and for the same reason. I pause when I speak and I pause when I write. Writing a business letter, I will follow the rules of grammar (and hope I get them all right!), but conversing with friends via my blog and emails, it's a casual conversation … I'm talking with friends.
Perry McDowell
Blogs are not journal papers. To me, a blog is a quick conversation between the blogger and me for my benefit. Just as I don't correct friends' grammar in conversations, so long as spelling and grammar are not too atrocious where it significantly slows down my comprehension or make reading painful, I don't care.
I would rather that the author feel comfortable sharing his/her thoughts and not have to spend the time to give an in-depth proof-reading before posting, which will result in more posts from someone whose wisdom or information I value, since I'm reading the blog.
Also, in this case, although using ellipses to indicate pauses is not technically correct, it is not a rare usage, and I don't mind it.
Jeff Bowe
I concur that there is a difference between a blog and a term paper, and also corporate advertising and a news story. The issue is do our students today know that such a difference exists and do they understand which form and style is appropriate for each type of writing. I am appalled by spelling problems in any context. Fast or slow, they should not happen because the tools are so prevalent to correct them. “Affect” over “effect” would not be caught by a spell checker so I give that a bit more room. I am equally appalled by college students who turn in academic papers with improper sentence structure and then argue with me that a sentence must contain a noun and a verb, and that a paragraph needs more than one sentence and no more than one thought.
Blogs are a great place for stylistic writing and knowing Kyle, I have no problem with how he writes in his blog. If you look at his corporate writing including ad copy or press releases or decide to read an in-depth news article either online or in hard copy, you will appropriately find a more proper and correct style of writing. Reminds me of something a Realtor says–location matters.