Beginner's Guide to Freelance Writing

The Ten Most Important Writing Mistakes to Avoid Overview

2006-05-25T17:48:26Z

While editing is not the most exciting part of working as a freelance writer, it is a crucial step in the writing process. It is important for a writer to learn to self-edit their work before sending it to an editor. However, it is recommended that a break be taken between the writing and editing of an article. It is difficult for a writer to find mistakes when they have been staring at the computer screen for a while. Often a writer will see on paper what they meant for it to say. After being away from the piece for a brief time, it can be edited with a much clearer mind. It is a matter of preference as to whether the article should be printed to be edited or can be edited from a computer screen.

The goal of a writer is to write a piece that compels the reader to want to continue reading. A reader may become distracted by poor writing. Read what has been written aloud to see if it flows properly, and then reread for errors in the piece. Make the changes and read it again to be sure all errors have been corrected before submitting.

Common Word Misuse

2006-05-25T17:49:47Z

Spell check is a wonderful feature included with most word processing software packages. However, spell check does not know when a word has been used improperly. It is imperative that an article be read and reread before being submitted to an editor.

Some of the more common grammatical errors are as follows:

• Its vs. It’s - There are three versions of “it.” There is a thing called it, “it’s” means it is, and “its” is the possessive.
• I vs. Me - Whether to use “I” or “me” can become confusing to a writer. A good trick is to separate a sentence and see if it still makes sense. For example, “Tom and I will be at the meeting.” Separate this sentence into “Tom will be at the meeting,” and “I will be at the meeting.” Both sentences make sense. If a sentence were to say, “Me will be at the meeting,” that would not make sense.
• Affect vs. Effect – “Affect” is used when performing an action. “Effect” is the result of the action. A tip for remembering this rule is that action and affect both begin with the letter “A.”
• A vs. An – “A” is used before consonant sounds and “an” is used before vowel sounds. For example, “a dog,” and “an apple.”
• Is vs. Are – A plural subject requires a plural verb and a singular subject requires a singular verb. For example, “The bell is ringing” is correct because the subject and verb are both singular. “The bells are ringing,” is correct because the subject and verb are both plural.

Common Punctuation Errors

2006-05-25T17:50:46Z

Spell check does not check for grammatical errors. Word processing software packages normally do grammar checks but they do not find everything.

The following are some of the more common grammatical errors made by writers:

• Commas are probably the most misused of the punctuation marks. It can be difficult to know exactly when to use a comma in a sentence. The comma indicates an interruption in thought or sentence structure. When using a conjunction, a comma is placed before the conjunction unless the clauses are short and closely related. For example, “I wanted to go shopping, but I did not have any money.” The comma was needed in that sentence. The comma is not needed in the sentence, “Sally cooked dinner and Tom cleaned up.” Commas are also used to separate items listed in a series. For example, “Megan bought a purse, necklace, and earrings at the store.”
• Apostrophes are used to show possession, form plurals, or mark the omissions in contractions. An apostrophe should be included in possessives such as “Tom’s coat” or “Susan Thomas’ cat went up the tree.” When the word ends in an “s,” only an apostrophe is added. An example of using an apostrophe to mark the omission in a contraction would be the word “won’t,” in the place of the words “will not.”
• The rule on punctuation and quotation marks is that the comma and period go inside of the quotation marks. Semi-colons and colons go outside of the quotation marks. The end punctuation of quoted material is dropped in favor of the writer’s own punctuation.
• Colons and semi-colons are often confused. Colons introduce a list and semicolons separate two sentences.

Capitalization Errors

2006-05-25T17:51:45Z

Proper nouns are capitalized but many words derived from or associated with them may be lowercase. The following is a list of words that a writer may be unsure of whether to capitalize:

• Initials of persons
o John F. Kennedy
• Foreign names
o Charles de Gaulle
• Names of government agencies
• Religious titles and offices
o Reverend James Wilson, minister of First Baptist Church
• Names of organizations
• Trademarks
• Holidays
• Holy days
• Academic degrees and honors
• Names of racial, linguistic, tribal, religious, and other groups of people
o Caucasian
o Frenchman
• Personifications
• First word of directly quoted speech
• Names of buildings, thoroughfares, and monuments

Misspelled Words

2006-05-25T17:53:02Z

There is really no excuse for misspelling a word these days. Most all word processing programs have spell check as a feature. Many word processing programs will automatically correct spelling errors on common words as they are typed.

It is important to always correctly spell a person’s name or title. When a writer interviews someone for an article, the interviewee should always be asked to spell their first and last name. A writer should never assume to know how to spell even a common name as there are many unique spellings of names.

Unnecessary Shift in Verb Tense

2006-05-25T17:53:42Z

Tense refers to the form of a verb that indicates time. When narrating a story, changes in verb tense helps readers understand the relationships among timed events. However, unnecessary or inconsistent shifts in tense can cause the reader to become confused and have an unclear sense of when something is happening. Actions being described should take place in the same time period. For example, “Yesterday I made spaghetti, and it tastes good,” is an incorrect sentence. A better sentence would be, “Yesterday I made spaghetti, and it tasted good.”

Unnecessary Shift in Person

2006-05-25T17:54:28Z

It is imperative when writing a story not to make an unnecessary shift in first, second, or third person. A story written in first person is generally a narration told by an “I” character. “I” is the main character of the story. In this type of story, the events of the story are seen through the main character’s eyes.

In second person, the narration is being addressed as “you.” When writing in second person, it should be made clear to the reader who is being addressed.

Third person characters are generally referred to as “he” and “she.” Third person allows the author to express the thoughts and feelings of all characters in the story.

Lack of Organization in an Article

2006-05-25T17:55:18Z

An article must be presented in a logical order. There needs to be flow in order for the writing to make any sense to the reader. Many writers find it helpful to first create an outline of an article. Information can be broken down into subtopics or lists. Information can then be written separately within each subtopic.

Events should occur in chronological order. If writing a how-to article, the steps should be listed in the order they need to be performed. Travel articles need to be written in a logical sequence based on the route the reader would follow.

Incorrect Information

2006-05-25T17:55:56Z

All written text should be researched to the best of the writer’s ability. Incorrect information causes the reader to lose confidence in the article. The reader will assume all of the information may be incorrect. A writer should assume the readers have some knowledge on the topic and will be able to spot mistakes in the text.

If a writer has interviewed an expert for an article, it is imperative that the information be quoted correctly. A writer should keep notes and tape recordings in case they are ever accused of misquoting someone.

Writing to Impress

2006-05-25T17:56:35Z

Using big words in an article just to impress a reader may backfire. Many readers find that the meaning of the subject is lost in the mass of big words. Writers should never talk down to their readers either as they may become offended. It is best for a writer to just say what they mean in plain language. Never use more words than are necessary to get a point across.

Not Having a Conclusion to Article

2006-05-25T17:57:15Z

Bringing closure to an article is an important last step. All loose ends should be wrapped up even if it is done in a sentence or two. If the information is completed, a writer can always conclude by giving a brief summary of what has been stated within the article. Re-emphasize the point of your story, but never bring up new thoughts at the end. An editor may not reject a writer’s submission for lack of a good conclusion, but will most likely send it back for a re-write.

Getting Started As a Freelance Writer

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Finding a Publisher

2006-07-25T17:55:20Z

Dealing with Writers Block

2006-07-25T18:01:55Z

Self-publishing

2006-07-25T18:04:48Z

Beginner's Guide to Freelance Writing

The Ten Most Important Writing Mistakes to Avoid Overview

Common Word Misuse

Common Punctuation Errors

Capitalization Errors

Misspelled Words

Unnecessary Shift in Verb Tense

Unnecessary Shift in Person

Lack of Organization in an Article

Incorrect Information

Writing to Impress

Not Having a Conclusion to Article

Getting Started As a Freelance Writer

Getting Started As a Freelance Writer Overview

Setting Up a Work Space

Writer Publications

Getting Equipped

Finding a Publisher

Finding a Publisher Overview

Submissions

Research

Query Letters

Dealing with Writers Block

Dealing with Writers Block Overview

What Causes Writer's Block

Dealing with Writer's Block

Strategies for Overcoming Writer's Block

Self-publishing

Self-publishing Overview

Advantages to Self-publishing

Starting Your Own Publishing Company

The Three Forms of Businesses