Maybe it isn't the best idea in the world to start a thread to catalog the (numerous and egregious) writing errors I've encountered since I started reading indie authors' work. I always start by saying people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, just before or just after I've launched a salvo myself. For that reason, please feel free to point out the errors I'll no doubt make, with jeers and taunts if you must.
However, the time has come for me to provide some sort of value besides 'Hey, look at me, I'm a published author and I made a buck or two.' As far as I know, the best value I can provide is that of, if not grammar police, at least lifeguard...
I'll start with a few of my current pet peeves as a reader. Granted, some of these errors may slip through even in professionally edited books. But if, like me, you are an indie whose budget doesn't yet run to professional editing, you may want to keep an eye peeled for these. They are in no particular order, but if they have an asterisk, they are the ones that cause me to literally howl in dismay when encountered, frightening my husband and the next-door neighbor's dogs. I'll add more as I encounter them. Please feel free to add your own.
Don, donned, donning.* I don't know what ill-informed and/or diabolical author decided to resurrect this archaic set of words, but I'd like to rip her throat out. Yes, it's probably a woman, because it is encountered almost exclusively in romance novels. And it's almost always used incorrectly. Don means 'to put on', usually an item of clothing. Donned means the person already put on the item of clothing, and donning means the person is in the act of putting on the item of clothing. If I were reading paperbacks, I'd rip out pages when I encounter instances of donning that, from context, mean 'wearing'. Since I'm reading my Kindle, I have to settle for the aforementioned howling in dismay, followed by grinding my teeth. Without context, the examples could be misconstrued as correct, so I won't give any. I'll just say, STOP IT! No more donning, nada, zilch. Just say he was putting it on, there is no excuse for using a term that went out shortly after Shakespeare's demise. If you mean he was wearing it, say that. Yeah, it's almost always a hot guy wearing a leather jacket or backwards ball cap, or something else that screams, 'I'm cool'. Cut it out! Period.
Participial phrases.* If what I'm about to say is confusing, please feel free to look up the reference here: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/627/02/. This is not an archaic and restrictive 'rule' from Strunk and White's Elements of Style, it is a rule of grammar that, when ignored, creates a confusing and sometimes ridiculous sentence. What is it? A participle is a verbal (i.e., a word formed from a verb but used as an adjective) that ends usually in -ing or -ed. It's the -ing form that often gets people in trouble. You see, that phrase, although it may begin a sentence, modifies the next noun or pronoun in the sentence, ie., the object of the phrase. For example, "Donning her jacket, Elizabeth turned and beat her head against the wall for not being able to simply put on her jacket." You see how that works? And how annoying that word is? It was Elizabeth whose action was described by the participial phrase 'donning her jacket'. So, what's the problem you may ask? It's this. More often than not, I see something along these lines: "Kissing me, I turned and fled." Obviously the participial phrase was referring to someone besides the 'I' who turned and fled. Someone else was doing the kissing. If you can't keep what you are modifying with a participial phrase straight, quit using participial phrases. It's just as easy to write, "I turned and fled because he kissed me." Yeah, more words. Two more to be precise. Is someone charging you for them? Then don't worry about it.
Wrong homonym. Okay, this one could be the result of a typo, I agree. I've even done it myself on occasion. Just be careful. But if you don't know the difference between there, they're and their, look it up! The English language is rife with these little traps. Your and you're, him and hymn, you get the picture. Words that sound alike but are spelled differently and mean different things. Nothing is more revealing of ignorance than getting the simpler instances of these words wrong. It doesn't make me howl like the first two, but if I see more than one or two instances, I stop reading the book. I can't get past that stuff. Maybe you're a great storyteller, I get that, but if you failed high school English, get a ghostwriter to bring your stories to life, or study up. Seriously. Please.
Rant over for today. Look for more in future episodes.
However, the time has come for me to provide some sort of value besides 'Hey, look at me, I'm a published author and I made a buck or two.' As far as I know, the best value I can provide is that of, if not grammar police, at least lifeguard...
I'll start with a few of my current pet peeves as a reader. Granted, some of these errors may slip through even in professionally edited books. But if, like me, you are an indie whose budget doesn't yet run to professional editing, you may want to keep an eye peeled for these. They are in no particular order, but if they have an asterisk, they are the ones that cause me to literally howl in dismay when encountered, frightening my husband and the next-door neighbor's dogs. I'll add more as I encounter them. Please feel free to add your own.
Don, donned, donning.* I don't know what ill-informed and/or diabolical author decided to resurrect this archaic set of words, but I'd like to rip her throat out. Yes, it's probably a woman, because it is encountered almost exclusively in romance novels. And it's almost always used incorrectly. Don means 'to put on', usually an item of clothing. Donned means the person already put on the item of clothing, and donning means the person is in the act of putting on the item of clothing. If I were reading paperbacks, I'd rip out pages when I encounter instances of donning that, from context, mean 'wearing'. Since I'm reading my Kindle, I have to settle for the aforementioned howling in dismay, followed by grinding my teeth. Without context, the examples could be misconstrued as correct, so I won't give any. I'll just say, STOP IT! No more donning, nada, zilch. Just say he was putting it on, there is no excuse for using a term that went out shortly after Shakespeare's demise. If you mean he was wearing it, say that. Yeah, it's almost always a hot guy wearing a leather jacket or backwards ball cap, or something else that screams, 'I'm cool'. Cut it out! Period.
Participial phrases.* If what I'm about to say is confusing, please feel free to look up the reference here: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/627/02/. This is not an archaic and restrictive 'rule' from Strunk and White's Elements of Style, it is a rule of grammar that, when ignored, creates a confusing and sometimes ridiculous sentence. What is it? A participle is a verbal (i.e., a word formed from a verb but used as an adjective) that ends usually in -ing or -ed. It's the -ing form that often gets people in trouble. You see, that phrase, although it may begin a sentence, modifies the next noun or pronoun in the sentence, ie., the object of the phrase. For example, "Donning her jacket, Elizabeth turned and beat her head against the wall for not being able to simply put on her jacket." You see how that works? And how annoying that word is? It was Elizabeth whose action was described by the participial phrase 'donning her jacket'. So, what's the problem you may ask? It's this. More often than not, I see something along these lines: "Kissing me, I turned and fled." Obviously the participial phrase was referring to someone besides the 'I' who turned and fled. Someone else was doing the kissing. If you can't keep what you are modifying with a participial phrase straight, quit using participial phrases. It's just as easy to write, "I turned and fled because he kissed me." Yeah, more words. Two more to be precise. Is someone charging you for them? Then don't worry about it.
Wrong homonym. Okay, this one could be the result of a typo, I agree. I've even done it myself on occasion. Just be careful. But if you don't know the difference between there, they're and their, look it up! The English language is rife with these little traps. Your and you're, him and hymn, you get the picture. Words that sound alike but are spelled differently and mean different things. Nothing is more revealing of ignorance than getting the simpler instances of these words wrong. It doesn't make me howl like the first two, but if I see more than one or two instances, I stop reading the book. I can't get past that stuff. Maybe you're a great storyteller, I get that, but if you failed high school English, get a ghostwriter to bring your stories to life, or study up. Seriously. Please.
Rant over for today. Look for more in future episodes.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Last edited:
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
