Often, what we intend to say never comes through in what we write. Sometimes our enthusiasm inhibits the thoughts we are trying to communicate. Unless you’re one of the writing savants who never makes a mistake, you will have to revise your writing—you will have multiple drafts.
Multiple drafts ensure that your takeaway is clearly communicated. Revisions require rereading of our writing.
This aspect of writing gives me the most trouble with my disability. Again, my brain injury affects my eyesight. I have trouble reading an entire line without losing my place. I can look at a sentence a billion times and never see a typo. The situation is complicated more by my use of speech dictation. If my software dictates incorrectly, I overlook the error. But, like any other writer, I must sharpen my writing skills.
After college, I wanted to learn more about my craft. I knew I needed to learn how to communicate clearly with my audience. My goal was to be a professional writer.
Almost 10 years ago I learned about a professional writing course that utilized Christian authors as mentors for writing enthusiasts like me. After I received all the information, I applied for a grant for people with brain injuries in Georgia.
I was so excited when I received my introduction packet from the writing program I immediately got to work on crafting an introductory email to send to my assigned mentor and emailed it before I went to bed that night.
The next afternoon I received a reply to my introduction and I was heartbroken. My mentor stated that due to my poor grammar and careless mistakes, she didn’t feel I was ready for the program and suggested I go to a community college to learn the basics.
Bewildered, I sat in my living room and pulled out my introduction packet. When I flipped to the second page my heart sank. My first assignment was to email my mentor an introductory message to share my background and plans for the course. The next day I received a correspondence from the program informing me I was no longer enrolled.
In disbelief I emailed the head of the program and explained my situation, his reply gave me hope and forever changed how I l viewed writing. He offered to assign me another mentor and give me another chance along with sage advice I’ve put in my writer’s toolbox.
“From this point on, you have to look at yourself as a professional writer. I don’t care if it’s a simple love letter to your sweetheart or a thank you card to a coworker, it needs to be polished, edited and proofread.”
Proofreading?
Writers are only as good as they are readers. Stephen King once noted, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” Just saying that makes me cringe.
Sometimes it can feel like you’re just talking to yourself. After all, you already know what you said. Or do you? Do you think you know what you said or know what you said? You never know until you actually go back and reread what is written. That is my purpose for proofreading, but along the way you may notice other reasons why you need to proofread.
- Spelling
- Punctuation
- Grammar
- paragraph/sentence structure
- content (did you say ever everything you wanted?)
- content flow
- contextual meanings (sometimes we say something in our heads and it comes out completely different in print)
- is your voice present
Maybe it’s just my brain injury, but I hope I’m not the only one who’s, …
“Did I say that?”
Sometimes we know our message so well it’s what we see on a page even if it’s not what is actually there. Our brains hear it even when it’s not written. This is why it is important to get a second set of eyes to look over our writing (especially in my case).
Find readers who understand what you’re trying to say and let them give your work a look over. Family and friends are great, writer friends even better or better yet, a professional editor. They will let you know if they can hear your message clearly.
In the 21st-century, most writing programs and speech software like I use incorporate playback functions, this is another way we can make sure we hear our message:
- Microsoft Word: Speak text-to-speech feature
- Scrivener: Start Talking feature
- Pages: How to use text-to-speech
- Dragon Naturally Speaking: Playback Text-to-speech
Each of these features can help us better listen to what we are actually saying in our writing. However, they can never replace a professional writer’s need for proofreading.
Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.
