Everyone can write, but not everyone is a writer

I take issue with the notion that everyone in this world is a writer. Sure, everyone can write; and technology today is an enabler of that for sure. But I would like to draw a distinction between someone who is able to write (e.g. has a keyboard) and someone who should be called a writer.

Full disclosure: I think of myself as a writer.

 

While many people can express themselves in writing, errors that may seem somewhat trivial (for example, incorrect grammar or misspellings) can cast a negative light on the author and his or her company/employer/brand. And please keep in mind that spell check isn't called grammar check for a reason.

Don’t worry, this isn’t going to get nasty or overly rant-ish. My goal here is simply to convince you that:

1. People who write well are more valued than those who don’t
2. People who don’t write well (but who try over and over again anyway) can harm their own reputation and that of the brand they represent
3. People in #2 can still write, they should simply look for help

Everyone does write, right?

In our 24/7/365 world, everyone will be asked to write. I get that. But that doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. As alluded to in #3 above, if you’re asked to write and know you’re not a writer, just be honest with yourself and seek the advice and counsel of someone who is.

One of the best parts of working with writer-types is they tend to be very helpful people. If you were to ask, it’s completely likely they will want to help you and not want anything in return. Not payment, not credit. Writers are just like that.

Two different types of writing

Everyone blogs or sends emails. I get that, too. But it’s a very different thing to write as part of your daily job. For simplicity, let's assume most writing will either be personal or professional.

Personal writing

Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, email or a blog, most of us are writing in our personal lives. I am not suggesting that you hire a professional writer to do this for you. (<--- Please re-read that last part again for emphasis, if you would). What I am suggesting is that it may be worth it to your personal brand — and we all have one of those — to understand some basic grammar rules so you don’t stub your toe. Here are a few resources I would suggest adding to your bookmarks:

            AP Stylebook

            The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation

            Purdue University online writing lab (Owl)

Professional writing

If you write as part of your job, that’s a different animal. Regardless of whether you write a report that only your boss will see or social media posts for a Fortune 100 company seen by thousands of followers, you want to put your best foot forward. (Did I just use two separate foot-related references? Wow, I guess I did. Sorry about that.)

Most organizations will have some sort of a style guide or other brand guidelines that will include writing standards. Get to know these standards. Know them well. Know them like the back of your…foot.

Even in the smallest organizations, many companies will also have at least one person who writes extremely well. There may be several people. You know who they are; these are the people others go to when they want to make sure everything looks and sounds good. Find one of these people and rely on them.

A word of caution about grammar: Be careful you don’t mistake a person who takes great pride in being a self-professed ‘Grammar Nazi’ for a great writer. In the Venn diagram of life, most writers know grammar well, but not all ‘Grammar Nazis’ know how to write well. Slippery slope, that one.

So, in the great debate of whether everyone is a writer or not, I hope you will consider the difference between those who may be able to write and those who put in the work to do it well.

If you’re in the first group, find someone in the second group…they will help you. If you’re in the second group, you have an obligation to help those in the first.

It’s just what we do.