Good Enough is Never Good Enough!

I have silently monitored some lively debates taking place within a few group discussions in which the participants agreed to disagree (sometimes rather heatedly) about the relevance of adhering to standard rules of grammar, punctuation, sentence/paragraph structure, and correct spelling when writing a novel.

I chose to be a silent observer because I refuse to participate in a spitting match. Years of experience have taught me that the end result of such activity is that all of the participants get spit on and little else is accomplished.

I decided to break my temporary vow of silence in the form of a new post to my blog.
In a previous posting, dated December 6 - The Pre-publishing Process, I point out the following:

Before even considering submitting a query letter to a mainline publisher, make sure that your manuscript is worthy of publication.

No matter how good the writer's ideas and concept may be, the manuscript will be rejected if it is riddled with bad grammar, misspelled words, incorrect punctuation, and poor sentence and paragraph structure.

The job of a copy editor is to spot and correct the occasional mistake; not salvage a mess submitted by an undisciplined or lazy would-be writer. That is a job for a ghost writer.

If for no other reason, a writer should learn how to write properly out of respect for their potential readers. Don't insult their intelligence or underestimate your own.

I have had my say. It is only my opinion and certainly not the only one. It may not even be the correct one.

I sincerely hope that this advice will prove helpful to some potentially successful author. I know it helped me.