Painful contractions

On Sunday morning, while attempting to wake up, I flipped through Facebook on my phone. I happened upon a meme posted by a friend that nearly caused my head to explode, even at six in the morning.

I don’t remember what it was about, but it used the phrase “should of.” I almost went off on a rant right then and there, but didn’t because traffic is low on Facebook that early and I figured the three people who might see it wouldn’t even care.

I wish I could tell you the only place I’ve seen that mistake is in a meme, but alas, I find it in blog posts as well. And this is just one example. There are many others out there.

Just in case you don’t know why this irritated me so much, please let me explain. “Should of” isn’t correct. It should have said “should have.” When someone says what sounds like “should of,” they are actually (we hope) saying “should’ve” which is, of course, the contraction of “should have.”

Reading is fundamental

The thing about writing on a blog is that we don’t have an editor standing over our shoulders to tell us when we make a mistake like that. Spell check will never pick it up. It’s one of those things you just have to know to do it right. 

The truth is that there is no way to know everything. However, the more you read, the more exposure you’ll have to work that has been edited by someone whose job it is to know. When you pay attention to the way other writers use phrases and words, you will start to notice when something looks off. If that happens, look it up. One could quickly Google “Is it should have or should of?” and find multiple sites to explain it.

Taking the time to make sure you get it right could mean the difference between getting that challenge grid vote or not.

The speakeasy is back from summer hiatus

Now that summer is over, the speakeasy is back in business. If you’re a poet or a fiction writer, there is a challenge grid just for you. Please head on over and check it out. If you have the inclination, you can participate on both grids, however please be sure you’ll have the time to read all of the entries and vote responsibly. 

Do you have any writing/editing pet peeves? Leave them in comments.

Odds, ends, reminders

• This immediate past Sunday is the earliest your submission can be dated
• Your post can be no longer than 600 words
• Personal essays or traditional blog anecdotes only
• There are no weekly prompts; the topic is yours. Be compelling
• The grid is open from Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. to Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. 
• There is voting. Voting will take place Thursday from midnight to 10:00 p.m. US eastern 
• The challenge grid is limited to 50 bloggers
• The winners’ post will be published by noon on Friday
• No self-promotional posts are allowed on the yeah write grid, including those containing links to other blog events and Internet contests

Welcome to the 2013 fall writing season at yeah write weekly writing challenge

Yeah write #126 is open. Bring us your best stuff.