Real Life Adventures by Gary Wise and Lance Aldrich for July 08, 2018

There rite!

I am willing to admit that I am old-fashioned enough to take the attitude that spelling and grammar count. If your proposal is poorly written, it signifies carelessness, sloppy work, and a lack of attention to detail. You get an honored place in the circular file.

It drives me crazy when I see myself make mistakes like that, but I am usually typing these comments around 3 in the morning (that’s my excuse).

Ooops, or is Ooop’s !!!

And as a result his presentation on selling dictionaries ended up not with the results he had been hoping for!

In the 90’s I worked for a large technical firm in their antenna developement division. They only cared about technical ability and refused to hire any tech writers. Just before the division went under, we lost five contracts. I got to read the proposals and knew why. What a bunch of poor writers. So many obvious mistakes.

Your write about that won.

I used to work as an Administrative Assistant and had one where they had me answering the phones and some filling. I offered to help with their presentations which were full of errors but they always said no. So they sent them out to customers that way.

There’s a big difference between something posted on a website and a presentation developed for a job interview. It’s like the difference between showing up for the interview in your best clothes and pecking at a keyboard in your pajamas. When you are trying to impress, your work should show the ability and effort required to do so.

I’m a freelance proofreader, mostly for students at the local college, but I’ve also done business for some of the professors and a few businesses in town. I correct spelling, word usage, and grammatical errors. When I first began this endeavor, I was appalled at the awful spelling and grammar of supposedly educated people. I now take it as a matter of course that the worst errors will come from the professors and businessmen.

Maybe they are from New York and can’t speak English.

Nike mispronounced Stephen Curry’s name. Even after he corrected them. He did not sign their proposal.

Its easier to criticize use of whose and who’s when you can see the guy’s speech balloons!

OK, show of hands: Who had a friend / family member proof their comment before sending it today? (pause, counting) uh hunh, I thought so. Well done!

Yes!