Writers and Storytellers Community

 Wanabe writers must never allow themselves to be discouraged through fear that their grammar falls short of perfection. If ‘correct’ usage of the language, which is pidgin European anyway, was essential, there would be precious little for us to read. My advice is the same as Beethoven’s; write from the heart to the heart. Write as you speak and you will communicate delightfully.

 

Just as people are discouraged from learning a language by ‘tutors’ who persist in teaching not language but syntax, many are unnecessarily put off writing. This is a pity; it is unlikely that language tutors ever wrote anything that might be considered popular. Sadly their grammatical nit-picking puts people off from learning a language or putting pen to paper.

 

Writing fashion, style and perception changes constantly. Even so-called experts disagree among themselves. Not so long ago one would be chastised for not capitalising the word, internet. The term e-mail has become acceptable as email, and so it goes on. Remember, you write for the masses, not for the soi-disant experts.

 

Those of a certain age will remember the song, Old Man River sung by Louis Armstrong. This great crooner sang it in his wonderful Negro spiritual way. In its original form it became a firm favourite. Naturally the lyrics were considered an abomination by pedants of correct English usage. This inspired a take on the song in which the singer was constantly interrupted by a hectoring scholar, whose version of the song was hilarious. Remember, the world’s greatest writers had very little schooling. Winston Churchill was considered a dunce by his tutors.