Writing Quirks
Human minds are indeed strange. We love patterns and often do not realize when we are traveling down the same road. I am no exception and my life contains many habits, themes, and common mistakes. These quirks extend deep into my writing. For example, I love to spell the color grey as gray. While this alternate spelling is not technically wrong, readers prefer popular spelling.
Why do I continue to misspell grey? This less popular spelling looks correct in my deluded mind. What can be done about this problem? The first step is to recognize there is a problem. As a result, I now have many incorrect spellings stored in the auto-correct library and a checklist. Here are some auto-corrects and part of my list:
Lead instead of led
Bill instead of BIll (Really, I cannot spell my own name?) (That is actually me typing really fast.)
From instead of form
Lesson instead of lesion
Appreciated instead of apricated
During instead of durring
Receive instead of recieve
Embarrassment instead of imbursement
Always instead of alwase
Here are some of my checks:
Less than versus fewer than
Replace nodded their head with nodded
Excessive use of “Of course.”
What is going on in my head? Is my brain on autopilot? Am I writing the way I speak? It appears that I learned incorrect English in a few areas. Now, I am more aware of my problems and I am beginning to make fewer mistakes. It is strange to confront my failings.
What does the future hold? As my skills improve, my error list and autocorrect will grow. I am using new tools such as Grammarly and Prowritingaid. These programs have revealed my problems and I see better first passes. There is hopes for me. Dang, another tick.
You’re the best -Bill
April 01, 2020
Why do I continue to misspell grey? This less popular spelling looks correct in my deluded mind. What can be done about this problem? The first step is to recognize there is a problem. As a result, I now have many incorrect spellings stored in the auto-correct library and a checklist. Here are some auto-corrects and part of my list:
Lead instead of led
Bill instead of BIll (Really, I cannot spell my own name?) (That is actually me typing really fast.)
From instead of form
Lesson instead of lesion
Appreciated instead of apricated
During instead of durring
Receive instead of recieve
Embarrassment instead of imbursement
Always instead of alwase
Here are some of my checks:
Less than versus fewer than
Replace nodded their head with nodded
Excessive use of “Of course.”
What is going on in my head? Is my brain on autopilot? Am I writing the way I speak? It appears that I learned incorrect English in a few areas. Now, I am more aware of my problems and I am beginning to make fewer mistakes. It is strange to confront my failings.
What does the future hold? As my skills improve, my error list and autocorrect will grow. I am using new tools such as Grammarly and Prowritingaid. These programs have revealed my problems and I see better first passes. There is hopes for me. Dang, another tick.
You’re the best -Bill
April 01, 2020
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