Why Great Writing Doesn’t Matter Online
When I studied journalism last year I learned that your ability to write is largely irrelevant when it comes to producing hard news stories (e.g. a young male driver was killed last night when he collided with a passenger bus… those kinds of stories). The words you use are just a vehicle for what’s really important: facts, which ones you include, which ones you leave out and how you present them. In many ways, the words you choose are expected to convey the facts of the matter without getting in their way.
A painting can’t exist without a canvas, but the viewer should, ideally, forget the canvas exists.
I want to suggest that writing on the web is much the same. The fast pace of web browsing and the vast amounts of writing available have created a medium unlike any other.
People don’t read online. Nor do they scan. They extract ideas, resonating with some and disregarding others. They do so at breakneck speed, only slowing down when a particular idea truly warrants it.
If you’ve ever fretted about not being a good enough writer, I hope I can convince you to allay your fears. Good writing, clever writing, beautiful writing — all of these things are unnecessary in the creation of great web content. In this medium, writing is just a vehicle for entertaining ideas, useful ideas, novel ideas and practical ideas. All great web writing must do is communicate great ideas without getting in their way.
Great headlines hint at the great ideas to follow.
Great opening sentences hint at the same.
Traditionally ‘good’ writing, clever turns of phrase, immaculate grammar, flawless spelling and crisp sentences are relatively insignificant. Clarity is the only necessary characteristic of good web writing. Humorous pieces and personal stories are the only exceptions: some degree of finesse matters for both, though the ideas behind the writing are still more important than any other factor. We read these more for the experience of ‘reading’, rather than what we can take away from them.
The ideas I’m speaking of don’t have to be new ideas — just ideas, notions, concepts: nuggets of information which affect you in some way, spike your interest, make you feel a certain emotion, start you thinking, persuade you or dissuade you, stoke your biases or challenge them.
Good ideas will shine through ‘bad’ or just ‘OK’ writing.
Good writing can’t save bad ideas (or a lack of ideas).
Traditionally ‘good’ writing can sometimes cloud good ideas. It’s why so many journalists make lackluster bloggers. They aren’t aware that their writing is no longer being read. It’s being mined.
I want to add one caveat, though: clear writing that is just ‘OK’ by traditional standards is enough, but bad writing can be a hindrance because it influences the perception of your ideas. In truth, though, truly bad writing is rare. The vast majority of bloggers fall into the ‘OK’ category. In fact, the vast majority of the world’s most successful bloggers fall into this category — their work wouldn’t pass muster in most mainstream publications, and yet they’re probably read by more people (and read more passionately) than all their staff journalists combined.
Average writing abilities are more than enough to write great web content. Average ideas are not. Your words aren’t your content — they’re just the vehicle for it.
Unless you’re a truly bad writer (and I highly doubt that you are), go easy on yourself. Shelf The Elements of Style. You don’t need it. Your readers aren’t looking for great writing — if they were, they’d look inside a broadsheet newspaper, a well-loved magazine or a Pulitzer Prize Winning novel. They want your best ideas. They want information that means something to them.
Is that what you’re giving your audience?
And another thing: social media is a rapid-fire trade in ideas. Writing doesn’t matter there, either. Different services reward different kinds of ideas. Which service is right for yours?
I agree wholeheartedly. There is no such thing as a good writer on the web, just one that can communicate their ideas in the best way. I think of it this way, when you having a true genuine conversation with somebody whether it be on the phone or in person you never try to have an epic speech or even try to impress them…you just talk. Rather then trying to be a great blogger…just blog.
I have strong mixed feelings about this post, Skellie. Essentially, your theory has me nodding, because I believe that people don’t really read. They snatch what they need at breakneck speed and all that resides in their mind after they’re gone are thoughts - ideas, as you mentioned. They don’t have the ooooh aaaaah for the wonderful literature they just read.
(I could care less about literature, we’ll note. I’m low on the arTEESTE factor.)
However, the post leaves me with the message, “It’s okay to write crappy as long as you have a great idea.” Alright, I’m biased. I’m a writer (note: not an arTEESTE.) But damned if I’ll shovel up a pile of crap writing and call it a pile of gold.
I can’t stand back and say I feel good about this post. In fact, I’m going to have to think on this a while before I decide how I do feel. I’m also interested in what others have to say.
@ Boring Market: I guess what I’m trying to say is that being a great writer is not a prerequisite for great blogging. I think we *should* try to be great bloggers — but that the two aren’t one and the same.
@ James Chartrand: I did actually think of you a little as I was writing this and I did wonder what you what think. I also thought you might have mixed feelings about it, if not completely contrary feelings.
I disagree that my central argument is “It’s OK to write crap as long as your ideas are good.” I’d phrase it like this: “Writing that is crap in the traditional sense can still be great web writing.”
I think it’s time we stop judging both types of writing in the same way because, let’s face it, it’s not being consumed in the same way at all.
The first paragraph of the most recent post at Dumb Little Man (59,000 subscribers) as it stands today:
“When is the best time to put yourself in a position to increase your income? Simple, the answer is today! Had you started this a few months back, you’d be well on your way. You didn’t though so here we are.”
It’s just not good writing in the traditional sense, and the style is consistent throughout almost all the blog’s post, yet its readers — all 59,000 of them — just don’t care.
Which essentially means that I’m starting to think great writing on the web only matters because we think it does. If we stopped caring so much we could focus on ideas, which is where the real value lies.
Excellent! I could not disagree more!
Well, actually I don’t entirely disagree, but I want to point out that as the blogosphere gets more and more crowded, it becomes critical that we find new ways to sift the good content and subscription-worthy blogs from the chaos.
Whether a writer is capable of thinking clearly and thereby not wasting our time sifting through their prose is quickly made apparent by the quality of his, or her writing.
Even at breakneck speed, the unconscious mind is powerful and capable enough to get an overall sense of an author’s writing ability and that sense is quickly converted to a judgment about their content and the quality of their overall blog/site. Good writing is clear and thoughts are expressed with accuracy. Good writing is easy to read. Good writing is also deceptively simple in appearance.
That said, I completely agree that moderately decent writing skills are definitely sufficient to create a winning blog–that’s a proven fact as you mentioned. But as the noise level continues to rise, I predict that, both consciously and unconsciously, readers will subscribe most to the blogs with higher quality writing (to a point– again I agree that there are some diminishing returns here–one needn’t perfect.)
Disclaimer: I don’t claim to be a good writer. In fact, I just started my blog, in part, so I could practice my writing skills. I hope one day to be good enough to pass my own muster. ;) (I know, you said to put the “Elements” on the shelf, but I just can’t do that yet! :) )
Thanks so much for a great post! I enjoyed reading it, and its well-written-ness, immensely.
I’m flattered that you thought of my opinion - though you were probably bracing yourself when you hit “publish” thinking, “Oh god, here comes James…” hehehehe
But I can’t have completely contrary opinions. There’s truth in what you say.
I certainly do agree that the style of web writing is very different from the purist take on grammar and worthy literature. I don’t see the same type of content in a newspaper or magazine as I do read online (which sets those mediums apart for quality, because I find the writing very well done).
You’re right - we can’t judge mag writing and web writing the same way. In fact, I’ve debated that very split many times on other blogs like FWG. The divide is there and it’s clear - but my debate has always been that, yes, they’re two types of writing but that, no, the mag writers have it wrong - the web content writers are just as much about quality work.
Now you shake that notion, and I’m not sure I like that. You’re basically saying that web content writers aren’t about quality writing - and that it’s okay.
I do see many good writers unable to adapt to the style of web content writing. They can pen an academic term paper that earns an A and that reads like brilliance, but put those same writers onto website content or a blog post, and they fail miserably to achieve results.
I can’t say that I’m a grammar Nazi or a stickler for tradition - I can’t be. I write web content, and tradition flies out the window online. I’ve followed grammar trends, watched the comma disappear (goodbye, my friend…), seen sentences get shorter and shorter every day (is six words the norm, now?), and it’s both exciting to watch the change and saddening - somewhat. Remember, I don’t like arTEESTEs - that good writing isn’t in vogue.
But nothing about writing for the web is about great writing per se. It’s about results.
On the other hand, we have literacy rates around the world dropping daily, books are considered non-necessary, anyone can be a fiction writer (and it shows. My toddler’s penning a bestseller as we speak. Bet you it gets published), and most people don’t know the difference between “that” and “which”.
So. Should we promote and encourage that? Should we continue to dumb down to the lowest levels because no one cares? I’m wincing, I really am.
Because in the end, if ideas are all that matter, so be it - but if we can’t communicate them (is this why video could be so popular?), then what good are those ideas?
Skellie, you’re a real inspiration! I agree with you, you don’t have to be the Jack London or Edgar Allen Poe to be a great blogger, you just have to get your point across in an effective way.
Keep up the great blogging!
@ Skellie: I understood what you were trying to say…like James is saying crap is still crap even if you call it gold. I agree with you again that we *should* strive to be the best bloggers and write the best content possible, but the point I think you brought up and that I back is that we shouldn’t get caught in the details as long as our ideas shine through.
@ James Chartrand: You bring up some valid points, though should we really compare web content to traditional literature? Isn’t that comparing apples to oranges?
@ Boring - I’m saying the opposite, actually. We shouldn’t compare web content to traditional literature. They aren’t the same. But that doesn’t mean we can’t strive for basic grammar and proper writing - and that’s a goal that every writer, from the guy who writes instructions to the guy who writes novels and anywhere in between.
I would argue that the scanning of information isn’t new to the Web. Executive summaries, headlines, abstracts: they’ve been out there for years, used by people to scan through heaps (I have always wanted to use that word) of data to get to the point.
Web copy seems to be pushing this practice further, adding images and diagrams to the mix.
It’s kind of like the way that Power Point presentations have largely replaced many written reports and how e-mails have replaced many formal memos. Education, training, and learning are now widely available through blogs and websites, but we’ve become so dependent upon pictures to communicate ideas that it’s practically become a requirement for many blogs.
Another thing to consider is that reading on a computer screen isn’t always the easiest thing to do (this would be one of my biases screaming.) Thus, pictures take the place of thousands of words, making it easier to digest the information without tiring the eye.
Then again, I’m one of these techo laggards who actually prints out blog posts to read, annotate, read again, and occasionally file in three-ring binders, so I may not be typical. I would just argue that Web copy is a natural evolution of the condensing and summarization of information that started much earlier in the 20th century. At the same time, we do seem to be using more to communicate simple ideas or else to render more complex ideas in a simpler fashion.
Great discussion here…I am thinking that is more than just ideas that matter (because all the ideas are already out there in their most basic form) but the refining of ideas that sells me on a great post.
A great post seems to have new ideas–what it really has is a more in-depth look at an idea that gets me excited. That is the secret to what has made a lot of Skelliewag so compelling to me. I would glance at the headline and think “Yes! This is exactly what I want to know!” I already know that Skellie is going to properly dissect the topic and break it down into perfect, manageable chunks that make sense to me. I think that is the excitement level that makes someone hit the subscribe button right there….and it’s got nothing to do with grammar or the number of typos on the page…
It’s all about ideas + clarity + deeper analysis than the other guy.
I know that is more of a content analysis than one of writing quality but I guess that’s what I grabbed me as being important.
@ Boring Market: Cool — it sounds like we are both one the same page. I just wanted to make sure you hadn’t taken the post the wrong way, but I think you were just using a different choice of words. I’m glad it resonated with you!
@ Zack: But I think what you are talking about primarily points to writing with clarity, which is something I definitely advocate. It certainly is a hallmark of good writing, but it’s not all of it. I’d argue that writing that is clear is a hallmark of good writing, but it’s not enough alone to life writing out of ‘OK’ status without other traditional indicators of ‘good’ writing.
But I disagree that readers will sift content according to the quality of the writing. Look at social media: I have never seen a single content item propelled to popularity on the strength of the writing alone. People don’t have time for it. Traditionally good writing is the cherry on top, and if you can do it, great, but I just don’t think people care that much. Clarity does matter, though, but some pretty average writers are capable of being crystal clear. I just don’t think great writing is required.
@ James: Firstly, I just have to say that I struggle with the ‘that’ and ‘which’ divide in just about every post I write, and I still haven’t been able to figure it out! One of the reasons I would certainly consider myself just an ‘OK’ writer. Maybe you can explain it to me? hehe.
I think we actually agree quite a bit on this point. You say the ability to express ideas is essential. I would argue that in that goal, clarity is really a prerequisite for great web content — and I think we agree when it comes to expression. Your words shouldn’t get in the way of your ideas. They’re the vehicle for them. But I take that further than you, I think: I say — as long as people can understand what you mean (and they don’t have to work too hard to do it), you’re good enough. You’re as good as you need to be, and anything further yields ever-diminishing returns.
I still believe traditionally ‘good’ writing can get in the way of ideas as much as it can facilitate them, so it ends up being kind of redundant — it cancels its its own benefits out. I think that’s why journalists often have trouble. They feel the need to preface their post’s wonderful idea with a 500 word anecdote. Nobody reads the post long enough to strike upon the idea. They waste attention and have essentially been taught to take attention for granted (though their teachers would *never* admit it), to unfold their ideas slowly and surely, to assume that readers are going to take in every word they write. And it’s just not the case online.
I think of a blog post like a tree in an orchard with the ideas as fruit. The reader picks the tree’s fruit as quickly as possible. If they trust the author, they might go a little slower to make sure they don’t miss any. They chuck out the ideas they don’t need and keep the ones they do. But there are so many trees in the orchard that they can’t waste too much time on just one. My advice is just to put your ideas on low-lying branches. Traditionally good writers often fall into the trap of putting the ideas right up the top. They assume the writing, the tree, is what the reader came for. But it’s just not. In that case, the writing is an obstacle.
I’m not suggesting that good writing is a useless skill. It’s incredibly useful in all walks of life, but when it comes to succeeding on the web, it’s just not a prerequisite, and in many ways, I think it can hinder as much as it can help. If you can express your ideas in a way that doesn’t obscure them, I truly think that’s all you need.
I’m not so sure I see ideas and writing as being independent. .
Further, there is good blog writing and bad blog writing. Same as novel, short story, poetry and non-fiction, and that value assessment is part-and-parcel to the ideas they contain. Different ways of consuming content is not remotely new. Writing is highly variable. Bad writing in impenetrable.
I think the real idea here is that blog writing is concise, direct, clear, witty, clever and simple. Are you saying that THAT is easy or even AVERAGE?!?!? That’s not been my experience.
-M
-M
@ Pat: I agree with you — I think the way ideas are presented, the things you focus on, the things you leave out, the implications you discuss, are all part of the essential package that goes into creating great web content. And I think that isn’t a writing skill, it’s an analytical and communicative skill. A lot of really bad writers are fantastic at it, but their lack of clarity gets in the way of their good work. If you have clarity and the aforementioned skill, I think that’s the golden combination. I just don’t think you need anything else.
I agree. A consumer buys a product for the quality of the product and not for the attractive packing.
@ Wolfy: I think they’re totally independent. Your ideas exist in your mind, writing is the way you communicate them with the written word. It can shape the way other people understand your ideas, but they’re not one and the same thing.
I’m not saying that blog writing should always be concise, direct, clear, witty, clever and simple. I’m saying it needs to be just one of those things: clear, possible to understand without inordinate effort. All of those things at once sound like traditionally ‘good’ writing to me. And I think we agree: that’s really hard. Luckily, it’s just not that important ;).
I think it’s horribly important.
For one, an idea sans communication is nothing. Here’s an example: [ ].
Second there aren’t any original ideas so people will seek out the best communicators and consume the ideas from them. Or debate the idea with them in the comments on Saturday evening.
-M
ps don’t forget to change your clock.
Yeah, sort of. I guess.
When I’m going through my feeds, I look for good ideas or good writing. Not necessarily in that order, but maybe. Depends on my mood.
I recently cut dozens of feeds from my Bloglines. Small names and some big big names got cut.
How did I choose which to keep? Good writing and/or good ideas.
PutThingsOff has both. MenWithPens.ca has both. They’re the rarity.
Scaryduck - Great humor writing, and not an ounce of helpfulness. But he’s brilliantly funny so I read his blog. If he couldn’t write, I’d have no truck with his site. He made the cut.
Neil Gaiman - Writes great books and sometimes writes great blog posts. At least often enough that he made the cut as well. Mostly he made the cut because I find the inner workings of a famous author’s life fascinating. So that’s somewhat “useful” as well.
Who got cut? No specifics here but about 99% of the productivity blogs are out. Why? Awful writing and the same old time/email/money management tips.
Here’s my entire philosophy on time management:
1 - Sit down
2 - Work
3 - If and when you start screwing around, stop
4 - Go back to work
5 - Repeat until finished
If the productivity blogs out there would just say that, but funnier or more passionately or couched in poetry or in Shakespearian prose that scans, I’d have kept them.
And money management…come on, right? Spend less than you earn. Save the remainder somewhere interest-earning. That’s it. If you can’t write it well, why else should we read it?
Good writing is incredibly important. I am more inspired by a clever phrase than Factoid #34, you know?
@Wolfy - “…there aren’t any original ideas…” You haven’t spent a day in my presence! Be careful with this sentiment. It crushes artists and, carried to its fruition, would make this planet a wasteland. Dark Ages V2.0 on the way…
I also agree fully with this. There are many people that focus on their writing more than their ideas. I often find that I cannot think of ideas, do you have any ideas how to fix that?
btw. I have put this article, and a couple others, up at http://www.lonelydesigns.com I hope you dont mind, I credited yo should be ok?
Thank you,
Shane
Sorry Skellie, I don’t agree. Your ideas would have to be seriously good AND unique for me to read a badly written blog. If I could get the same ideas on a well written blog, why would I bother with the badly expressed one?
I take your point that lots of readers skim content on the web - but I suspect that they read their favourites with more care. And surely we are aspiring to be somebody’s ‘favourite’?
Your argument would probably carry most weight on a blog where ideas and information are the main reason for subscribing - such as Lifehacker. But there are lots of Lifehacker wannabes that aren’t as well written. For me their success is at least partly down to the presentation of the ideas - and that includes the writing.
I would suggest that your own blogs and guest posts are counter-examples to your argument here - you DO have an uncanny knack of coming up with great ideas I’ve not seen elsewhere, but you also do it in writing that is lively, engaging and passionate. And that definitely affected my decision to subscribe to your blogs and keep reading.
I don’t expect all bloggers to be Shakespeare, but it’s largely a written medium so a talent for writing is definitely a plus. Having said that, anyone can develop a distinctive blogging voice if they allow themselves to start writing the way they naturally speak, as if they were explaining their idea to a friend. And there are some excellent sides like http://www.copyblogger.com to help people improve their writing - just as posts like your one about Flickr photos are a great help to a non-designer like me in improving the visual impact of my posts.
Of course, if someone is blogging in English as their second language then I’m less likely to notice mistakes or unclear expression - I take my hat off to them as it’s something I couldn’t do myself.
I completely agree that clarity is more important on the web than in some other media, and that writing that would be considered ‘good’ in other contexts won’t always work on the web. But that’s true of ANY medium - good novel writing does not make good newspaper writing and vice versa. Effectiveness always comes from finding words that fit the form. And that applies to ‘good [your word] web writing’ as much as any other good writing.
[...] And today, there was a great post from Skellie (Skelliewag.org): Why Great Writing Doesn’t Matter Online [...]
Personally, I am so over average writing on the internet. I’ve also cut back my RSS list this past week, and in going through the blogs, I found myself bored with how blah MOST of the content was.
Clarity, wit and a unique voice make average ideas more interesting. I agree that this might not make a difference to the social media scanner, but writing style is a big part of what makes people subscribe and stick with a site.
I’m with Charfish Charlie, most of the productivity blogs are just saying the same old thing (the blogging ones too!), and unless there is somehting extra special in the writing then I’m not sticking around.
And Skellie, I think your success is just as much to do with your engaging writing as it is the ideas behind your posts.
This was a great conversation piece, so thanks.
Kelly
Hi Skellie,
Very interesting point of views. I tend to think it is a little more than just the ideas that counts.
I am put off by bad writing and I am bored by the average. Well, most of it. It can be compensated by good graphics and pictures. Total presentation has to be above average to catch me.
Having said that, I may just be an anomaly among the website readers and you may be right. :-)
Hi Skellie,
I would like to agree with you. Because I’m not a good writer. But I’ve learnt how to structure my writing around a good idea.
But… research done proves that “People don’t read online. Nor do they scan. They extract ideas, resonating with some and disregarding others” is not completely true.
If memory serves me right, about 40% people read every word online. While 60% scan. People who are reading every word are not only looking for ideas.
Scales like entertainment, surprise, satisfaction etc play a role too. (Thats why the success of soo many SU photo blogs.)
Of course, everyone reads and resonates with some ideas while disregarding others and twisting the grey ones. But thats not unique for internet readers. Its common for all sorts of communication.
While I agree with you that what you say is very important. How you say is important too.
So work on your ideas first. Make sure you always say something worthy. But then, do spend time in learning from the masters and polishing your writing so that your ideas truly shine.
You don’t need to learn to write as good as a Pulitzer prize winner. But you do need to learn things like editing well, using rhythm in your post, using active present tense when applicable, using metaphors and stories, being specific but not sounding technical etc.
These are the writing techniques that make your ideas go from ho-hmmm to wowzers.
I don’t like average writers. Their texts are boring. That’s why I enjoy reading Dosh Dosh and Copyblogger (Maki and Brian C. are good and unique writers) but high profile blogs like ProBlogger and zen habits are quite dull (yes, Darren R. and Leo B. are only average writers, if you ask me).
I’d say that great writing matters online. Here’s why:
Its true that most people don’t care much about the quality of writing but I believe that there are some people like me who respect good writers. And I think many bloggers are “writing savvy” enough to recognize well-written posts and enjoy reading them more than average-written ones. It’s easier to be engrossed by well-written posts.
Also, blogs need to be unique to survive in the blogosphere. The content (posts!) of the blog is one way to show that uniqueness. Well-written posts are more unique than average-written posts.
Thanks for the comments everyone — I’m going to answer some thoughts in detail tomorrow. Right now, sleep is priority #1!
And to those who disagree, I just want to say: it’s no problem! I enjoyed writing this post, but even more so, I was looking forward to the lively debate that I hoped would follow.
I really enjoy nothing more than testing my ideas against sharp minds — and it’s wonderful to know I can always find them here.
Readers on the Web may not be “looking for great writing”, but most know it when they see it. That’s why great headlines work. That’s why great opening sentences work.
Likewise, most readers quickly recognize poor writing. Without those “clever turns of phrase, immaculate grammar, flawless spelling, and crisp sentences”, I, for one, don’t stay around long enough to ponder the ideas being presented.
Great writing can make weak ideas interesting. Poor writing can make strong ideas obscure. In between great and poor is a lot of room for the average writer, it is true,
But average talent and average effort yield average results - and that won’t put anybody on top.
Although I heartily agree that ideas are the gold that people dig for, great writing is the icing on the cake- see Copyblogger.com and how Brian pairs great writing with stellar ideas. This means a huge success online for him and others who can muster up that kind of talent and relevance.
Plus, I’m a copywriter. People do skim. All the time. But you are right that they pull out ideas that 1, stand out to them, and 2, are talking directly to what the want to hear. Nice discussion we are having now. Thanks!
Plus, what is the difference between great writing vs. the value of ideas presented in the writing?
I think we are saying, it’s enough to have killer ideas that people can take action on.
Problogger and others are technical, ‘give me information now’ blogs.
Copyblogger is a make-you-think-long-term type of blog.
There is a difference and a reason for it.
The audiences are likely slightly different as well. The difference is the patience factor I think.
Agreed with you, Skellie. Grammar is just like an ‘OK’ vehicle (provided it can run) to carry the message. The thing that matters is the message not the vehicle as long as its at least just ‘OK’.
OldSailor wrote:
“A consumer buys a product for the quality of the product and not for the attractive packing.”
If this statement were true, everything would be packaged in brown paper. Cars are a great example. Flip through the Consumer Reports Car Buying Guide and I’m sure you’ll see a lot of popular cars that have poor quality ratings, and a good number of high quality cars with awesome styling.
While I agree that literature and blog writing can’t be evaluated using the same criteria, Wolfy hit the nail on the head with this: “an idea sans communication is nothing.”
I forgot to mention one thing. When I said that bloggers are likely to care about the quality of writing, I was alluding that in some niches in which the readers are mostly (or at least many of them are) bloggers (or other “writing savvy” persons), the quality of writing matters.
Hi, Skellie, I’m new to your blog after reading about it on GalleyCat and have been enjoying it very much.
But.
I don’t agree with you here. If you have a blog about literature or books and you don’t write well, you’re not going to have many readers. (That’s the little corner of the blogosphere I’m the most familiar with.)
You wrote, “Traditionally ‘good’ writing, clever turns of phrase, immaculate grammar, flawless spelling and crisp sentences are relatively insignificant.” No, no, no. If I come across a blog in which mistake-laden grammar and spelling are used, I don’t give it a second look. Sure, everyone makes occasional typos. Those I can read around (unless it’s a pattern), but not the rest. A good blogger needs to take the time to get his or her usage and spelling correct.
Susan
[...] Why Great Writing Doesn’t Matter Online @ Skelliewag [...]
Interesting point of view…except that bad writing often induces ambiguity and ambiguity is the bane of getting to the facts, is it not?
db
I believe you have a point Skellie, however I still believe ‘good’ writing should be a standard. I find it painful to try to read through articles and posts with careless typos and horrible grammar.
Though I agree that the idea is most important and the writing is merely a vehicle, don’t butcher your writing. If you can’t be a ‘great’ writer, at least be a ‘good’ writer and use spellcheck.
Blogging is a different style of writing. It’s certainly more forgiving, because one of the characteristics is that it’s fresh and recently updated.
Different, doesn’t mean worse though. Some of my favourite bloggers are excellent writers and reading through their posts makes me see that blogging is just another medium for the written world. Not every good non-fiction book in the world is full of great writing either. Some writing is ok, and the book has great ideas and it works. When it’s non-fiction, the ideas are more important than the execution, but poor writing always hinders.
I’d argue that the commenters here are not the web majority, as based on how many times it is proven to me that my average reader simplyscans my posts, because they’ll ask a question that was answered in the post, or confuse details.
there’s so much out there to read and so little time, the average person scans or barely reads anything in detail at all.
I enjoy clever writing, but I also enjoy clever ideas.
I don’t agree with your stance, Skellie. I just can’t be bothered with blogs that are written poorly. On the other hand, blogs that are well written AND have interesting content excite me. Take your blog, for example: I enjoy the elegant language, as well as the useful content.
I suppose there are two different categories: there are bloggers who write, and writers who blog. I’m in the second category. And that means that I work hard on my skills as a writer.
It’s taken me a while to be able to define myself as a writer. Even after I had a book published and translated into many languages, I still hesitated. Then, one rainy morning, I woke up and thought: “Oh! I’m a WRITER!”
The stance that you’re advocating, Skellie, seems to be: “Don’t worry about your lousy writing. Blog anyway!” Maybe your intention is to encourage timid bloggers. But I reckon it’s important to realise that if you blog, you are a writer. And as a writer you carry a responsibility to hone your craft.
er, yeah I have mixed feelings about this post too… while I agree with what I believe to be the essence of your message, Skellie, it kinda grates on me.
I get that for the web the sacrifice of, say, literary foregrounding in favour of clarity and readablility makes good sense I do believe the public read. (in fact my site stats tell me that people will take 10 minutes to get through an article)
and, yeah, 59,000 people may read the very average offering (writing-wise,that is) of a ’successful blogger’ - but so will they drink coke and scoff burgers - it doesn’t mean it satisfies anything deeper.
I for one am not going to turn my writing into that kind of product - but thanks for the food for thought!
d
This is wrong on so many levels, I don’t even know where to start.
Skellie, since you are a deft writer, I’m totally confused as to why you are promoting this whole idea. Bloggers need to be encouraged to write better, and this whole post advocates just the opposite.
It’s true that the writing standards online are rather low. I’d like to see web writing standards go up, not down, and I’d much rather see someone with your reach encourage bloggers to be better writers instead of basically telling them that it’s o.k. if their writing sucks. Tell them to to buy the latest edition of Strunk & White, not shelve the copy they currently have! Bloggers still have a lot to prove in the world of writing credibility and this post just set all of us two steps back.
Of course, if you and other bloggers are o.k. with being substandard writers who are regarded by other writers (and readers) as lacking quality and skill, then I guess that’s just fine. As for me, I’d like to be able to say I’m a blogger and have just as much respect as a successful novelist or professional business writer.
This is not good.
And Skellie, you are a better than “OK” writer, which is why this is so disappointing.
This is an odd post coming from you. Of a 100 blogs, I thought your writing skill level was of the top 5 best.
Usually people who can write well spot others who write poorly and are offended by it. Serious writers or publishers will not respect a writer of a poorly written blog. If a blogger wants to make money from writing, then knowing grammar and spelling is important.
We all live in the same world and experience many of the same things, so if we do not have a particular writing style or unique perspective, why write at all?
“Good writing can’t save bad ideas”
Many classic novels have weak stories but are celebrated for exceptional writing. Good writing stands alone. In poetry, often the reader has no idea what the author’s intent was, but the reader still likes it because the words are intelligently crafted.
“In truth, though, truly bad writing is rare.”
I’d say 95% of the writing on the web is awful!
“the ‘OK’ category. … successful bloggers fall into this category”
Agree strongly.
“Your words aren’t your content — they’re just the vehicle for it.”
For me, words and writing are my greatest life passion, not some vehicle for turds. I can’t relate to the ideas of this post at all.
“Unless you’re a truly bad writer (and I highly doubt that you are), go easy on yourself.”
People need to put A LOT more effort into learning grammar and spelling. When I skim the web, I am shocked at the ignorance.
Writing poorly shows lack of education, lack of enthusiasm, lack of standards, lack of self-respect, and an acceptance of failure.
Have you ever seen the film “Idiocracy?” I highly suggest watching it.
For me, bad writing is a turn-off; I won’t read it.
Hope you keep YOUR writing standards high! Usually, I love what you have to say and the way you say it, but this is just out of left field and not good standards for yourself or to set for the blogger community.
I agree with the main premise of this post–that you can get away with average, or even below average writing on the web and still attract many readers and respect. That’s the way it is out here–readers are most interested in relevant information.
However…if you’re like me and write for print in addition to the web, you need to have a commitment to writing as well as you can.
Plus, it’s no guarantee that web and blog writing will continue to be as filled with opportunity and profitability as it appears now. With more and more blogs flooding the web landscape, only the top writers and idea-providers will stand out and retain true significance.
And…if you ever decide you’re tired of web writing and blogging and want (or need) to get a more traditional media job, then your writing skills are hugely important.
Lastly, you never know who’s reading your stuff online; you never know where you’ll want to work in the future. The standard of writing that you post online reflects your devotion to excellence and hard work and detail–qualities that all employers want.
[...] writers that quality writing, grammar, and spelling do not matter online. In a post titled, “Why Great Writing Doesn’t Matter Online,” Skellie declares that web writers do not need to adhere to the same level of standards as [...]
I think you speak heresy.
Good writing is what makes a good article. Ok, so it must be understood that mining takes place–but good writing compells someone to continue reading. Not simply get the ideas and go.
I’m not the best writer–but one of my aims is to learn to write well to get people to return to my site, not simply get my top ideas. I believe that it is imperative that we foster an atmoshere of good writing on blogs–to bring to quality and the legitimacy of the information to a higher standard.
Ah - I’ve just had an email that spells out why good writing on the Net DOES matter. I’ve been invited by a prime international magazine (the paper kind) to submit some clips of my work, including some blog posts.
If they like what they read, I’ll be invited to submit an article to them…gulp.
I’m so glad that I wrote my posts with care and passion!
How many bloggers are producing “hard news stories”. I think what you’re saying is probably true if your target audience is other bloggers, but you’ve excluded a large portion of the bloggers who write for people who don’t even know what a blog is, they just like good stories. I write about local news on my site, and include facts but I also give it my own flare and that’s why readers enjoy what they read. Niche readers out there should learn what their niche expects of them and I think to disregard good writing is probably poor advice. Why not just say that your writing will improve with time, because it does.
Good writing, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.
As James alluded to above, rules change: what used to be jarring and shocking is now commonplace and accepted. Language, whether spoken or written, evolves, shifts, moves.
I tell would-be writers at my site not to worry about it:
—-
“Well, you need at least a B.A. in literature, obviously. A thesaurus is critical for proper obfuscation so that your article can be more confusing and therefore sound more erudite. Although whatever you write, I’m going to pick it apart and hound you until you Get It Right.”
“Naw, that’s not true. Write however you want. This is a tech site, and people don’t expect perfect grammar or beautiful words. Explain things as best you can. If you are a really bad speller, run it through a dictionary. Other than that, don’t worry about it.”
—-
The goal is communication. Yes, as Skellie notes, it’s possible to write so badly as to interfere with that goal, but very few people fail at that because of poor writing skills. More often they fail for more direct reasons: they don’t really grok what they are talking about, they forget that their audience doesn’t have the same background they do, or they just don’t put their thoughts down in a way that people can follow.
Yes, it’s “better” if the writing is better, but Skellie is dead right: “OK” is plenty good enough.
If someone isn’t intelligent enough to present an argument, defend that argument and defuse counter-arguments in a cogent, logical manner, then I don’t want to read their jumbled, hack thoughts.
I don’t need, or expect, to read Dickens or Tolstoy every time I read a blog, but lousy, uninformed writing significantly undermines credibility and generally makes the author look like a mouth-breathing troglodyte.
The burning question in my mind after reading this post? What, exactly, are you thinking of when you say “good writing?” As in, good writing is not necessary online. Because to me, it’s vital. It’s true that I expect a different STYLE of writing when I’m reading websites than when I’m reading a book, but I still expect the writer to have a grasp of the basic rules of grammar.
It’s true that we’re all in a rush these days, and it’s a rare post that makes me stop to read every word, but to my mind, that makes the “good” writing that much more important. Try dipping into a sloppily written post, and if the structure is poor and the word choices confusing, you’re going to be lost. Whereas, when you dip into a tight, well-constructed, grammatically-stable post, you can grasp the essentials fairly easily–whether you’ve read every word or not. Like any other delivery system, the quality is key.
That painting analogy? No, you should not notice the canvas, but it’s the solid structure of it that supports everything else. The same painting done on, say, sketching paper, is just going to fall apart. And then I WILL notice the foundation. When it’s good, when the canvas works, when the writing is seamless–that’s when it’s invisible. It’s the crappy stuff that falls apart while you’re trying to look at it that you notice and remember . . . and thereafter avoid.
(Oh, and, um, “shelf” is where you put the Strunk & White you’re casually dismissing; “shelve” is the verb describing how it gets there.)
Hi Skellie - I also have mixed feelings on this. I understand what you’re saying about writing with clarity, but someone who writes badly generally doesn’t write with any clarity at all.
I do agree that well broken down posts containing great information are always going to be popular. But, it’s the really well written posts that I read through to the end. And, if I arrive on a new blog I can tell the moment I begin reading the first paragraph, if it’s been written by a professional.
But, I do hear what you’re saying. We all read quickly on the Internet and the quality and uniqueness of the ideas is often far more important than the quality of the writing.
The folks who are disagreeing with Skellie probably missed the most important thing she said here:
———
Traditionally ‘good’ writing can sometimes cloud good ideas. It’s why so many journalists make lackluster bloggers. They aren’t aware that their writing is no longer being read. It’s being mined.
———
I’d add “facts and techniques” to “ideas”, but that’s because I come from the tech side where ideas and opinions have a place, but most of the impetus for reading and writing is facts and methods.
I’d also suggest that the reason some of these folks missed that is because they too are doing just what Skellie said: mining, not reading.. how ironic is that?
Wow, Skellie, you and I are in perfect agreement and a lot of the rest are not.. are you sure you want to hold fast? :-)
@ Tony - Depends. That guy who discovered the world was round sure had a lot of opposing views and laughter pointed at his way. Must’ve been frustrating to be called an idiot.
On the other hand, sometimes putting forth an idea that just isn’t that great in principle isn’t worth holding firm on.
What most people here are disagreeing with is the fact that Skellie, a very good writer, is promoting the idea that grammar doesn’t matter. Bad writing doesn’t matter. Lowering standards is a good thing.
While we all “got” what Skellie said, we chose to focus on the underlying message she puts forth, because there definitely is one.
Many people will read this, and they’ll go forth 2 rite lik this bcuz u don’t need 2 b a good riter if u hav great idees. Go ahed ‘n blog.
Sorry, I won’t buy into that.
@James
O Tempora, O Mores!
That’s probably all I need to say to you, but for the benefit of some I’ll wax on:
The goal of writing is communication. Always. If that goal is met, the writing has been effective. Grammar and style are constantly evolving; what was shocking and unacceptable to my 9th grade English teacher is now common is such bastions of good writing as The New Yorker..
As Skellie said, the web really is an entirely different medium. Thoughts, ideas, facts are mined, not read.
And, depending on the audience you are trying to reach,
“?4u: What’s the 411 on l33t writers worrying ’bout other folks style? Job security, maybe?” can be perfectly fine.
Audience, communication, method. Chill: TIMTOWTDI!
Skellie,
I think it’s obviously correct that what constitutes good writing in the blogophere differs quite a bit from what is good writing in traditional media. It’s hard to break in traditional media with a bad style, but not even strange in professional blogging.
I can happen in traditional media too, though. One of the most famous Swedish journalists has a awful style and in addition a total and self admitted lack of understanding of grammar. So it can happen.
But even in the specific genre that you are in, Skellie, I would say that writing skille matters quite a bit. Or so it seems. Maybe you don’t make much use of really nifty, smart turns of phrases, but you have definite knack for putting together information into one post ina way that makes it appealing and easy to get.
There are others in the field who can do that as well as you, but on the other hand - even among the professionals - there are several who consistently do a little bit worse than you. As a result they are a mostly less successful than you. This has definitely to do with writing skill, although not the same things are emphasized as for the write in traditional media.
A good example in this circumstance is Brian Clark of copyblogger fame. He is, I think, a blogger who really stand out of the crowd because of his writing skill.
Also, there are multitudes.
When you talk about ‘doesn’t matter online’ I suspect that are more on the certain areas you usually tread. But there are multitudes of everything and every interest online.
I was once following the blog of a famous Swedish author. She is a writer of poetry, short novels and these days also on-paper collections of blog posts. She is a writer for the culture pages, but also well liked among mere mortals.
Her blog was of a professional, the outspoken goal was to increase her sales. I think it really worked as a boost of her sales. Obviously the style of blogging was quite important, since her delightful style was a big part of what was selling her books.
I guess what I’m trying to say is: “Skellie, you’re right regarding a lot of online communities, but the style and skill required depends on what you’re selling.”
Come to think of it… The President of the US is famed for his poor speaking abilities. He is proof that people can succeed to the highest levels and get their messages across without proper diction. He should start The Bush Blog. ;-)
Good distinctions.
I think there’s a few meta points at play …
- Conversational writing beats formal writing on the Web.
- You don’t have to be a great writer to be an authority or have an authority site.
- User’s prefer a better experience over a lousy one.
- Bad writing hurts more than great writing helps.
- Actions and results speak louder than words.
I think the beauty of the Web is that more folks can share first-hand experience and they can talk with their audience versus at their audience.
[...] blog fairly useful. Of course, there is always room to disagree. On Sunday Skellie posted Why Great Writing Doesn’t Matter Online and I will take a few minutes to respond to this post. If you read this blog often you will likely [...]
[...] their pieces, whether they are bloggers or journalists or something in between. She linked this article from Skelliewag - and while I don’t disagree with everything (people do tend to read web content differently [...]
@ Sven T S H
C’mon, now! I couldn’t disagree more with your statement that “… what constitutes good writing in the blogophere differs quite a bit from what is good writing in traditional media”.
Good writing is good writing. The definition doesn’t change when the environment changes.
The difference between the blogosphere and traditional media is that you can’t self-publish in traditional media.
Boggers publish what they want when they want. If they cannot or choose to not produce what is commonly accepted as good writing, that’s OK, but that doesn’t make it good writing.
I’ve always cared more about the words, not exactly how well it was written. A good information post is what I want to read whether it is written in txt tlk or as a professional would write it. Great article.
Five More Misused Words That Make You Look Like a Dummy…
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If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!……
I’m way behind on this one as usual. Sorry for the delayed response if this subject has been beaten to death, but I’m going to write it anyway. So there!
It’s hard to argue that in the blogging world, good ideas are far superior to good writing, but what’s wrong with striving to be good (or great) at both?
I breeze through my RSS feeds looking for good ideas daily. I skim the ok writing, get a little deeper with good writers and get absorbed in great writing. I also deeply consider personality. James, Dave Navarro, Naomi Dunford, Christine O’Kelly, Heather Armstrong, Ze Frank and Jay Smooth get read all the time mostly because they aren’t afraid to let their freak flag fly (some more than others).
While all this has been interesting, (to Skellie now) keep in mind that the views expressed here are mostly by bloggers, not your average reader - i think you’re dead on, but like any other writer, I prefer to read someone who also does not drag nails across my grammatical ear when I read or scan their works.
I also don’t want to read some flowery description of whatever when I’m just trying to get to the facts.
The voice, if it sounds like someone we’d like to know, is probably equally as important as the idea - or that would be my guess. I like to read the mundane things this one blogger writes from time to time, just because I can hear it and relate to him and his domestic situation. Unfortunately I don’t learn anything, so it’s almost akin to voyeurism and I rarely read it now as I have so much else to do, but I check out his headlines from time to time and try to stay “in touch” with it.
In my 1/2 life lived, I’ve discovered you can learn from anyone and everyone - you sometimes simply have to stop and listen, so sometimes I do that by scanning something badly written for the idea.
I also find it easier to spot a writer whose English skills are as a second language - not sure why that would be difficult. Usually the use of British syntax is a dead ringer for some…odd phrasing is another.
By the way, Skellie, the proper use of “that” and “which” have probably been killed by Microsoft’s grammar checker, which is inaccurate. Which causes a change in meaning depending upon the presence or absence of a comma (for instance), and Microsoft decided to do away with that rule apparently. This might be more sensible since most people didn’t know the rule, so the communication that comma (or lack) was intended to convey was actually lost on the preponderance of the population. Still, I hate what Microsoft has done with Spellcheck and Grammar to the real McCoy. Another crutch that is disabling much of our society’s ability to pick up and use a dictionary or a pencil rather than a calculator.
Good blog, Skellie!
“the proper use of “that” and “which” have probably been killed by Microsoft’s grammar checker,”
Whenever anyone says “proper use”, I have to smile.
Proper use is what living people decide is proper use. I’d like to suggest reading “The Unfolding of Language” (I have a review at http://oakpointcommunity.org/books/unfoldingoflanguage.html ) for an extremely enjoyable romp through “proper use” and related subjects.
@ Tony - I gave up on whether to use that or which years ago too. Nowadays, you can get away with whatever you want. I especially love beginning sentences with And and But.
@cath
Oh yeah: today’s “and” and “but” usage is an excellent example.. bet I would have earned “D’s” in English Comp had I written then as I write now.
Of course old habits hang on. Most people would say “like I write now” but that still makes me cringe a little. One may look like someone else, but they may only act as the other person does.. another “rule” that’s been eroded away. But ( :-) ) there’s nothing wrong with that, right?
And ( :-) ) I think that’s the problem here. I’ve contended that “good” writing is writing that communicates its ideas to its intended audience, and I really think that is and always has been the point.
[...] of my favourite metablogs, Skelliewag, recently published a post saying that, in blogging, your writing style is not as important as your [...]
I think I agree with your point, though I disagree with the phraseology, at least technically. Great writing does matter — it just won’t always make or break a post, if that post has valuable content.
Why great writing is not important for the web/???I believe on the contrary that great writing is important everywhere. So, for abetter explanation, you can go to blogs like these here. They are promoting good writing help and tips.
cute writing for good writing help and advice
[...] wrote about Why Great Writing Doesn’t Matter Online. Considering how many people admire her writing, it surprised me a bit to see her say [...]
[...] People don’t read online. Nor do they scan. They extract ideas, resonating with some and disregarding others. They do so at breakneck speed, only slowing down when a particular idea truly warrants it. - Skellie [...]
Great writing is fused with great ideas. They can’t be separated.
If a piece of writing has no ideas in it, then it comes across as vapid, or flowery. And you wouldn’t call it ‘great’.
The quality of the thinking and the writing go hand in hand.
Having said that, of course you don’t need to be a ‘great’ writer to be an effective blogger. But I’m sure it would help.
[...] a little time out from our regular content flow to write some follow-up thoughts on the post ‘Why Great Writing Doesn’t Matter Online‘. It’s something that many of you had mixed feelings about and I seem not to have made [...]
[...] one does not necessarily have to be a great writer. In fact, being “OK” is enough. In this post Why Great Writing Doesn’t Matter Online, she [...]
[...] why great writing doesn’t matter online. Did you like this post? Send it to your friends or bookmark it on the web. This piece was posted [...]
[...] a non-game related post, I also recently read two articles suggesting that great writing doesn’t matter for blogs. In this case, the theory is that the ideas behind the blog post are [...]
I agree with you 100%.
Writing for a blog is no different from writing for a magazine or a textbook or a newspaper — each medium has its own requirements. With a blog post, ideas are king.
I think a lot have people have expressed it, but I’ll add my vote: bad writing is not clear writing. If the spelling and grammar are all over the place I don’t think the article stands a chance of being clear. On top of that, I don’t really trust the writing if it is painted with errors. The ideas might be great in the writers head, but if the writing has to be good for the ideas to come through.
You’re probably correct that “great writing” isn’t necessary, but it helps. Also, you won’t get “great” unless you practice, so I suppose average writing shouldn’t stop you from starting to write and improving.
I’m the same meaning like Kristarella ;)
Ralph
[...] and you are creating value for the readers. So just focus on your presentation. (Like Skellie says here, its not a matter of writing, but how you present things online [...]
What a lively and spirited debate! With nary a swear word this has been great fun, tally ho and all that.
It seems I have stumbled into a group of friends who live in the field of professional copy writing. Good to know but not all-embracing of the blogosphere.
Here is a pertinent point that has been missed: blogging is more akin to spoken word than to written word. Having blurted out that oxymoron where all blogs are written I will clarify.
If you have ever found yourself reading transcribed word and have to then hear the lecture, or minimally understand that it is spoken word laid to print, in order to comprehend what was said then you know what I mean. These aren’t the same ball of wax in their delivery.
Consider that a vast number of bloggers are there to simply talk to people, their friends and anyone who would listen, to have human concourse, or started out this way. Some start out with the idea of making money and others just end up there eventually.
Having learned and embraced a lot about screenplay writing the necessity to display craftsmanship is not new to me. Blogging is, totally. We’re talking green at the gills. You’ll see by going to my website, still under construction, unless my web master has put it live while I write this, this is a newborn baby. My network of 7 blogs spinning out from OnceAnAlaskn.blogspot.com and a dozen post all having been thrown together in a week’s time on paraphasic sleep serves a first purpose of quantity. Next I’ll worry about quality and tertiarily about making money and getting the activity viable. Would you want to read these? You tell me.
This stream of comments is haunted by professional writers and fully comes across as that. So of course among that group craftsmanship has a dollar value and means the difference between getting published or not.
Great ideas, however, don’t require a college degree. The internationally well know Ford Motor Company was born out of the 3rd grade education of Henry Ford. His inability to read and write is more forgivable than today’s crashing SAT scores where increasing numbers of high school graduates don’t have the basic skills in reading and writing sufficient to make it in college. That is tragic and inexcusable.
My blogging experience has just gone from 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds. It’s the first time on the track so we have yet to determine if the carburetor will hold up or if it is to choked by bad grammar and the cut out of the race by those phantom missed typos.
Possibly I have no business being a writer whatsoever. I don’t touch-type and occasionally when I am not looking I catch myself actually using more than two fingers. And yet I am a writer.
On the Internet no less. Once being persuaded to pass on a purchase order for a spelling checker I dropped my jaw. I thought a spelling checker was a warm lass who sat on your lap.
I brazenly come forth saying “I’m a writer”. I can still out-source and get done all those irritating whips and bells needed, such as advertising and track backs, put up on my blogs where I haven’t a clue how to do these myself. Should I go home or take up a day job? Would you give me my day in court as a blogger as showing promise of a unique viewpoint?
You see, I’m just talking to you here, like the lecturer who talks to one not a mass of people, spoken word written.
[...] l’autrice di skelliewag.org la buona scrittura, ovvero la capacità di affabulare, è meno rilevante ai fini del successo di un [...]
[...] began to realize that in many cases, quality content is just the starting point (Skelliewag thinks it’s good ideas, not good writing, that count). If you want your blog to have more readers than mom, dad and your best friend, you need to get [...]
Passion is all that matters.
I agree with portions of this post. But there are some great writers online and lots of people still read not just scan. I think a lot of people that scan either don’t read much to begin with or actually have important things to do where they pull what they need and move on. I read for the most part and scan. But mostly when it’s the first time I’m reading something from a certain writer or blog. I didn’t scan your post. I read it through.
[...] thought-provoking read on the art of writing for the Web. By someone who’s devoted a whole blog to trumpeting the [...]
[...] good writing doesn’t matter online: If you’ve ever fretted about not being a good enough writer, I hope I can convince you to allay [...]
[...] Why Great Writing Doesn’t Matter Online from Skelliewag“People don’t read online. Nor do they scan. They extract ideas, resonating with some and disregarding others. They do so at breakneck speed, only slowing down when a particular idea truly warrants it.“ [...]
WOW,
i came to this blog,after having been refferd by another blogger ,whom i follow religiously,and instantly this blog is in my rss feed.
me being a newbee, i read a lot to make up for the lost time of this blogging revolution, and to tell the truth, most of the blogs or blog posts, i just glance through,until some one hits me on the head, shreaking loudly,read me common.
and of the tons of past posts of skellie, that i have already gobbled up today, this post made me,no,wait,rather forced me to post comment,as the topic is so strong and even stronger is the discussion here between so many great people.
having said that,i now would like to add my own views on the topic,even if i am an absolute idiot,when it comes to good writing or grammar, as i have already got a lot of strength from this post of skellie.
i think if we look at life generally, it has two facets.
1 what ideally should happen.
2 what generally happens in real life.
and the point is, this is precisely what happens what skellie said in the post.
besides guys, give a kind thought to idiots like me ,
or to the folks, lets say from far east where English is not the first language,thanks
forgive me for any errors in the language of the post
[...] Does great writing matter online? Here’s somoene who thinks it doesn’t [...]
[...] is an interesting article that I came across. Why Great Writing Doesn’t Matter Online from Skelliewag. You might be a bit shocked by the headline. But do give it a read to evaluate the [...]
[...] parte, y pese al dolor de talibán ortográfico que me seduce a proteger nuestro alucinante idioma, reflexiones recientes por parte de entendidos en medios modernos revelarían que efectivamente el escribir bien [...]
Very Interesting.
I couldn’t agree less. Thanks for the post.
I agree completely, you’re supposed to supply the information without making it hard on them. Great post.