How To Not Write Like A Schmuck 101

[Gustavus Adolphus]

It's not hard to tell the difference between to, too and two. He really wanted you to go through each sentence and correct them?

Apparently, it is.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

I don't screw up with these 2's. My grammar is fine so that's why.

Ahem.

 

[Captain Iago]

Apparently, it is.

:doorrofl:

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

this debate is still going on...really?

il break it down for some of you.

1) this is NOT a professional Site with professional writers(there will be writing flaws) Then maybe a more professional writing staff should be developed. If the site is to become bigger and have more exposure, shouldn't it stand to reason that the standard of writing should be high?
2) some of the writers like dustin are very young and are still learning.So they shouldn't be exposed to criticism of their writing?
3) if you DO NOT LIKE what someone writes dont fucking read it.Later on in this, you say this is a fan's website. Doesn't reading something you may disagree with create debate, and thereby, make the site better? I know I don't always read thing that I agree with.
4) if you want professional articles go to a site with real writers, if not than stfu. So we should expect less when we read the articles here? Noted.
5) All writers here should be able to write and not be made fun of every fucking second of the day.There were a lot of people (myself included) making fun of writers during the Lebron deal. Why should those writers be made fun of, but not the ones here?
6) **** off with the grammar and spelling shit! its annoying, again its a FANS SITE.Fans of a particular team can't read things written in correct English? On this issue I feel like a 60 year old man trapped in a 28 year old's body. This is indicative of a larger problem. When you use this idea that 'it's a fan's website' you make an excuse for people to lower themselves to the least common denominator. I can no longer take Waldo's opinion seriously, because he has proven time and again that he can't express an opinion in a way that is readable. If you can't take the time to look over what you wrote and put it in at least reasonable English, why should you ever be taken seriously?

....

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Aye. I took a Reading Remediation in the Classroom class a few years ago and I want to say it was even more than 6/7 times to learn a new vocabulary word. I don't remember the exact number, but I think it was in the teens.

Hey, have you ever noticed that if you learn the meaning of a word and then you hear it all the time?? Maybe you've always heard it, but now that you know what the word means you notice it a lot more.

Best example for me is 'hubris'*














































































*not meant to be taken as a shot at you. I realized that after I wrote that post.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

I do.

 

[Rush]

Prope, it's ok to point out criticisms in the writing here in hopes to improve it. Creating a thread to help and titling it "How to not write like a schmuck" seems counter-productive and in essence aimed at making a mockery of those he's trying to help. Am I incorrect here?

We are a fan site. That doesn't mean lower your expectations. It means if a comma is out of place, don't flip your wig over it. It also means that starting out we aren't going to have ESPN level commentators, writers, analysts, interviewers, etc. With time, the quality will improve.

I am taking measures to improve it and whoever is having difficulties in their writing, help them. I am almost positive Lefty could help some of the writers TREMENDOUSLY. However only few will take it with a grain of salt instead of writing him off as a fuckwad who internets too seriously.

 

[waldo7239117]

Apparently, it is.

I just realize, I made a mistake.

 

[waldo7239117]

Hey, have you ever noticed that if you learn the meaning of a word and then you hear it all the time?? Maybe you've always heard it, but now that you know what the word means you notice it a lot more.

Best example for me is 'hubris'*

Are you serious? This post stretches forever.

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

constructive criticism is one thing

calling out and attacking someone because of their writing mistakes is another

 

[payton 34ever]

This critique is amateurish. It's a freaking blog for God's sake. You didn't even tell him the reasons or grammar rules behind the changes you suggested; you just said it would make it "flow" better. If you want a real critique of your writing, Justin, and how to actually improve it (content and style) rather than just having someone pick apart your use of apostrophes, send me a private message and I'll give you a hand. I've taught everything from 5th grade language arts to college-level English, and I'd be happy to give you a hand. I wouldn't mind writing for the site myself, either, now that I think about it.

 

[Lefty]

This critique is amateurish. It's a freaking blog for God's sake. You didn't even tell him the reasons or grammar rules behind the changes you suggested; you just said it would make it "flow" better. If you want a real critique of your writing, Justin, and how to actually improve it (content and style) rather than just having someone pick apart your use of apostrophes, send me a private message and I'll give you a hand. I've taught everything from 5th grade language arts to college-level English, and I'd be happy to give you a hand. I wouldn't mind writing for the site myself, either, now that I think about it.

Please. Did you see how long the OP was, even with me NOT pointing out the specific reasons the grammar was incorrect. I'm all for helping out, and that is indeed what I was trying to do, but to go through and point out every single mistake AND give the reasons why along with specific corrections is something I am simply not prepared to do.

Oh yeah, and I can't wait to hear the wonderful things that you have to say on sports issues.

And @Rush: The thread title was more of a joke than anything, and if you would have read through the OP (which, by you commenting on the thread title being derogatory and thus counterproductive, means you didn't), "schmuck" was not used as an underhanded jibe at the writer, it was a stand-in for things like "everyman", "layperson" and "Joe Schmo". Get it?

Oh yeah and back at Payton: if your first post in this thread is along the lines of, "it's a blog, get over it", then you clearly lack the intelligence and wherewithal to critique the very articles that you are defending. And I highly doubt you have the reading comprehension skill to even understand what the writers are talking about. Remember what they say about those that cannot do....

 

[BigP50]

I would like to see Patrick develop his question making as well. The questions were actually different, I edited those questions to be what they were when you quoted them. They were a little more vague prior to me editing it.

Its really not like an interview (even though its what I call them) its more like a "getting to know" type thing. But I am trying to come up with better questions but its hard when ur not doing it face to face because u cant ask follow up questions.

 

[Lefty]

Its really not like an interview (even though its what I call them) its more like a "getting to know" type thing. But I am trying to come up with better questions but its hard when ur not doing it face to face because u cant ask follow up questions.

There's a difference between the ability to ask follow-up questions to dynamic answers and asking "what number do you want to be when you get called up to the MLB?" of a player that sustained a very serious injury at the beginning of the season and who could very well be a guy that saves a multi-million dollar franchise's most readily available talent pool from the perilous depths of "bare cupboard" tags.

 

[BigP50]

ok.

 

[Lefty]

Fantastic. Good to see that you're interested in not conducting "oh my god this has to be a joke" interviews.

 

[BigP50]

"oh my god this has to be a joke" interviews.

lol wtf?

 

[BigP50]

where did that even come from lol.

 

[Lefty]

What I'm trying to say is that your interviews are really, really bad. There is no doubt in my mind that many who stumble across your chicken scratch start laughing halfway through reading what you write. Your questions are more often than not pointless, and are eerily similar to what I imagine a 3rd grader would ask his or her favorite athlete if they got the chance to conduct an interview.

Hide behind the number of spam-reads and $10 cash-outs you receive all you want, but it does not change the fact that most of your interviews are laughably bad, and they make the site look equally bad.

 

[BigP50]

dang, we know what flavored haterade u sippin' on lol.

I thought my Bardo one was pretty swell.

http://www.chicitysports.com/2010/06/29/interview-1989-flyin-illini-stephen-bardo/