Hey guys, I was studying up on my grammar rules and a question popped into my head. Do writers have to be meticulous about grammar in order to be taken seriously in the writing world?. Im getting the feeling that it's a yes but wanted to see if other writers thought the same too. Thanks for reading! Have a great day!
Of course. Does a carpenter need to know how to use his/her tools with professional precision in order to have their work taken seriously? Same thing.
Yes. If an editor encounters a manuscript riddled with grammatical errors, she's unlikely to pay it much attention. She may have ten manuscripts on her desk, and nine of them are error-free, and yours is full of errors. Which do you think she'll toss into the trash? My guess (and I'm sure your guess, too) is yours. Besides, would you be proud of sending out a manuscript you know is full of grammatical errors? I didn't think so. Make your manuscript as error-free as you possibly can. Don't give the editor an easy reason to reject it.
I'm always puzzled when people question the importance of good grammar. Grammar usage is a matter of habit, that to which one becomes accustomed; good grammar doesn't require any more work than bad grammar ("I ain't got no money" is no easier to say or write than "I don't have any money").
as an editor, i heartily agree with all the responses above... that said, 'meticulous' does not mean an author's particular style/voice can't bend a grammar rule here and there, as long as the result still makes good sense... this is a fine line that seasoned writers know how to walk and beginners must learn to navigate...
Quote of the Day by far, and it applies to anything in your manuscript, not just the grammar. It also equally applies in self-publishing when modified to say 'don't give the reader an easy reason to reject it'.
You need to be able to use correct grammar, and correct grammar should be the default for your writing - you should become so fluent that you don't have to do a lot of thinking about it. You may choose to use nonstandard grammar, but it should be a conscious choice, every single time.
