Grammar-101: Don't get caught in a dirty toilet!

'Always loved writing since I was a wee lad growing up in the Bronx. However, like so many living in Blissful-Ignorance, I never could retain all those fancy-grammar-rules in my tiny little head...*blush*

'Just brushed-up with a business writing class that covers those forgetful grammar rules...'one of those adult courses that targets office workers wanting to appear less dumb to other co-workers and Mr. Joe-public-at-large.

'for no other reason than to express myself clearly in my writing on here and elsewhere in my business dealings it was worth it (fingers crossed).

Yep, one more thing I could cross off on that very long self-improvement list...

I hear from too many people that think we shouldn't care much about bad spelling and grammar. I'm somewhere in the middle in this debate -- especially because I tend to write in a less formal conversational tone.

But, I'm very aware that people do judge the quality of the writing presented (especially if it's hard for readers to engage within a blog because of lack of clarity).

This blog entry, boldly entitled -- Bad Grammar On A Blog Is Like A Dirty Toilet In A Restaurant -- does a great job of calling out those pitfalls you should avoid.

Let me throw these quickie suggestions at ya:

• Use simple, concise sentences. Ensure that you have no fragments or run on sentences that will be confusing to anyone that may review your work.
• Limit each paragraph to one point or issue.
• Don't use words that you don't understand; somebody may actually call you out and ask you to explain it.
• Use only words that you know are spelled properly. If you are a poor speller you should be carrying a pocket dictionary.
• Don't try to impress people with your vocabulary - keep it simple.

Here's my own Terrific Reference LINKS (to help juice up your grammar) -- if you know a great site leave me a comment and I'll check it out:

OWL, the Online Writing Lab, gives you a way to look up the whys and wherefores of grammar.

Daily writing tips offers what they say is all the grammar you need to know.

I personally love Grammar Girls lite tone in her quick and dirty tips (available for free on iTunes as a podcast).