Does Grammar Matter?

The blogging arena is one big Freedom Park where everyone is free to get in and unload his/her written thoughts on whatever subject he/she chooses to the blogging denizens who may be interested to read it. Writing skills is not required and that is what is great about it. It is therefore ironic that it is this beautiful attribute of allowing freedom of expression to thrive in its written form on a free reign, with no barriers at all, which is also one of blogging’s most sour points. Every Dick and Jean whether his/her writing skills could not register even a score a notch below average on the writing skills scale is free to join.

I would concur with anyone who would tell me that blogs are not formal forms of writing and therefore are expected to have some lapses in spelling and/or grammar. I am sure anyone reading Blogs To Note could point out some error here and there. These blunders should however be as scant as possible if not avoided and should not be allowed to become a recognizable mark of ones blog. Grammar rules are there for a reason. They make it as easy as possible for the reader to comprehend the writer’s message. To have his/her ideas understood clearly should be every blogger’s initial concern. Not many readers would like to invest extra minute of their precious time trying to make sense out of something that is hardly comprehensible. This means that a blog author has no choice but to care about grammar. Not caring about grammar sends the message that you don't give respect nor care about your readers much, either.

Blogging is a craft and language is its medium. Every craftsman strives to achieve excellence in his/her craft. To do that, they must not just be good but be very good in their craft’s medium. I am sure my dear friend, Laurie B of "The Looking Glass", would agree that a craftsman can’t afford to be mediocre in his/her work. I don’t see any reason as to why bloggers should be an exception. Every work speaks of its creator or author. No one wants to make mediocre mistakes when his/her reputation is at stake. Sad to say, this doesn’t seem to register in the minds of many bloggers if we are to look into their work.

English is my second language. This means I have to do some extra effort to get my mastery of the English language at a respectable level. I have to continuously improve my command of the English grammar. There are several sites in the internet to which I run to for help whenever I am confronted by a grammatical dilemma. One of my favorite site is Perfect English Grammar.Com. The site is so simple to negotiate. It is designed to help anyone particularly those who speak English as a second language to find their way out of the complexity of the English grammar. In a nutshell, it is English grammar made easy. If you need some help, Seonaid, the site’s author, would always be there to show you around. All you got to do is send her an E-mail.

Thousands enter the blogging world each day. It has become a very competitive field. In the end, it is the readers who would determine whether a blog is to survive or must be consigned to an obituary. A blog that respects its readers would surely have a longer run.