by Michael Ray

Created on: May 11, 2009   Last Updated: May 13, 2009

How NOT to write an article! The errors in this article are deliberate and are meant to show many of the common mistakes I've seen in e-publishing.

I've red alot of ebooks and online articles over the past few weaks and I've noticed a terrible trend that either show people do not have there articles proof read or speel checked. Won of the biggest turn off when I'm reading an articles is finding a word or phrase and then that has been left in during an editing. This really throws off the article causing your reader too read the sentence over and over again in order to figure out what you're trying to say. (Did that just happen to you)?

Proper use of the English language is another faux pau in using the correct spelling four (for) certain words. Learn how too (to) use which spelling for which word. The biggest mistakes I find are: to and too. Too means also, if you can substitute the word 'also' where you have typed to, then it should be spelled too, with two o's. Number two biggest is there, they're and their. Use 'there' to describe a place, as in "It was there a minute ago." Their is a possessive term, mean it belongs to someone. "It was their house that was flood out". 'They're' means 'they are' so it should be used to describe someone else's actions ie. "They're going to Scarborough Fair". There are many other words that fit into this category but are less prevelant. Words such as: for and four or your and you're.

Another common problem is run on sentences which keep the reader going and going with no apparent end in sight even though half of the sentence could be left off or at the least broken up into even smaller sentences and even making it easier to read and understand. Avoid over using the words 'and' or 'but'. These two words prolong sentences. The lead sentence in this paragraph could have easily been broken into three smaller sentences.

Perhaps my biggest pet peeve in writing is the use of "quotation marks". These little gadgets are meant to show speech. Michael said, "My article writing is terrible" and that "I should get a 'Writing For Dummies' book". What Michael actually said is enclose in quotation marks. If you need to hi-lite a particular word or phrase use bold print or apostrophes.

Finally, break your story into paragraphs. Your readers enjoy reading short articles. When I see an article that looks like a huge block of print I immediately decide I don't want to read it. It could be Teddy Drake for all I know, but my first impression has already got me moving on. Okay, finally one more time. Who's Teddy Drake? Actually I made the name up. Don't assume just because you're familiar with a name or event that the rest of the world knows about it to. William Shakespeare might have been a better choice.

Time to go and start writing. Use spell checking, re-read your article 2 or 3 times slowly. Better yet get a friend to read it. We have a tendency to read what we think should be there instead of what is actually in print.

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