Mistakes To Avoid When Writing

Authors enjoy writing, yet many mistakes come out of the pages, especially the self-publishing gents and ladies. We try to edit, proofread and do everything ourselves. I agree, there are those that are talented enough to perform such tasks, and they are truly great at it. Still, odd mistakes do pop up every so often. Here are some to remember when you write your next book...

1] Apart vs. a part, affect vs. effect. These are known as usage mistakes. There are many more not mentioned here else my post will be too long, like assure vs.ensure. One must be able to distinguish between words and phrases used. This will affect how your sentences turn out; either well written or shabby.

2] Next, one gets grammar mistakes. An example is "this is him/this is her". Let me offer you what I'm stating here... Incorrect - "Can I speak to John please. This is him." vs. Correct - "Can I speak to John please. This is he." There are many more out there. Another example is the following - If I was vs. if I were. The example is, "I wish I was rich." [Incorrect], and then we get "I wish I were rich." [correct]. Do you get it?

These are some of the areas one must watch out for dumb mistakes when writing your next book. Even proofreaders slip up at times. One must double check, and again double check. make sure that when you are reading your book before publishing it, such mistakes are discovered and resolved. One does not want a blemished book on the shelves.

3] Another mistake made often is the punctuation mistake. Placing commas, hyphens or semicolons in the wrong places can change the "shape" of your sentence. "Together we saw a great movie; it was a box office hit." and not "...; which was a box office hit." Can you see the difference, even the sound when reading it? What about this - "After he hit the ball he ran to first base." Wrong! Correct is "after he hit the ball, he ran to first base." Do you get it?

Simple mistakes can cost you in your reviews, in your sales, and how other people see you out there; either a good author or just another wannabe. So, sit back and start to reread the book you are currently writing. Take a deep breath and search for such silly mistakes. They are costly! have fun and be blessed.