The Bookworm Speaks on the Importance of Grammar, A Lesson Learned the Hard Way

I have had two months to contemplate the act of writing on Hubpages. I think a lot of the people who contribute are like me, just learning as I go. I feel comfortable enough to share a little bit of my experiences Anyway, this hub is about the one thing I have formed a strong opinion about.

Grammar is one of those things most people in my generation learned just enough of in order to escape high school. After that, it was forgotten. Grammar just did not matter, unless you were in a degree program that requires precise writing. History and Law degrees are two programs that spring to mind. It’s not that universities didn’t try to teach us. Grammar just felt irrelevant, a curiosity from the past, like cursive writing. We could get our point across by simply talking face to face or on the phone. Soon, video conferencing will be the norm, or so we thought. That might happen; but, I now know that nothing works like we imagine it will.

My generation was taught that computers would eliminate cubicles, create a paperless office, and create more leisure time through increased productivity. None of those things have happened. Offices still have hard copy backups filed somewhere. You still need paper to run around like you are actually busy. Employers simply demanded more work in response to the increase in productivity brought on by computers. There was a firm in California that eliminated cubical and any permanent workspace for the rank and file. All the employees had to do was find a spot a plug in a company issued laptop. The rank and file responded by marking territory and essentially creating their own cubicles, forcing the company to rethink the policy. I think that is an example of an instinct similar to the one a dog is following when he pees on every tree in sight. Given our collective talent at prediction, it is understandable that many in my generation dismissed the importance of grammar. Not everyone dismissed it, but enough to cause a gap in our collective knowledge. Why can’t peer pressure work in my favor for once?

With the back and forth of words through the internet, grammar has become important again. It is not just the SEO ranking, although that is certainly important. I will argue that the language we use to communicate needs to be clear and precise in order to get the message across, the first time. Face to face time has become increasingly rare, and we seem to have less time to issue corrections. It is an instant message world. So a grammer resource is needed for most of us, the poor short sighted souls of my generation.

Most of the books on grammar have the weight and clarity of a medieval tome about alchemy. There is one book that covers most of the grammar issues that a writer will encounter, without needing a linguistics degree to understand. It is also one of the smallest books. The Elements of Style, Fourth Editionby William Strunk Jr. and E.B, White. It is a classic, the first edition was published in 1919. This will cover most situations for writers. It is also the least expensive. I am convinced this is a must have book, and will supplement the particular style book you should be using. Style books are guides for different disciplines that writers traditionally work in.

If you write for sites, like Textbroker, you will be asked to follow the AP Style book. [Associated Press Style Book] Personally, I think that if you are going to blog about anything beyond your own opinions, the AP Style Book provides the best stylistic framework. It also covers references and ethics for reporters. The academic world has its own way of doing things. The MLA handbook is a must. [Modern Language Association] I still have my Little Brown Handbook from college and there several other style books I used for undergraduate and graduate papers. If you are writing a thesis for a specific school, or university, check with your professor before you begin.

Now for the beginning creative writers, there will be a temptation to dismiss grammar as too restrictive for your vision. Just read the forums, you will see what I mean. Please consider that most legendary writers, such as Ernest Hemmingway and Jack London, worked as reporters and understood how to string a coherent sentence together. There is a connection between understanding basic techniques and successfully pushing boundaries, or breaking them. Actually, this could be applied to painting, sculpture, architecture, etc. Yes, boundaries need to be pushed and broken that is the definition of any cutting edge Art. If you don’t know where those boundaries are, then how can you push them? If you really want to explore this issue, I suggest that you study the life and architecture of Antonio Gaudi.