Recently, I’ve had more than a few friends tell me they get nervous when sending me a text message.
Why would this be? I’m fairly direct, somewhat blunt and occasionally prickly—okay, I’m frequently prickly. But surely I’m not that bad? Am I?
![Editing Question-Just Right Words](https://justrightwords.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/mistake-3085712_1920-300x203.jpg)
After some not so subtle probing, it transpires they’re worried I’ll pick them up on spelling or grammar errors.
In their text messages.
Where auto-correct and predictive text are our (ungrammatical) rulers and typos are a dime a dozen.
I’d like to think they’re joking—I hope so—but their concern prompts me to ask this question:
When is it acceptable to have made errors in writing?
The pedant in me is screaming ‘NEVER’, but there are definitely times I have to tell that part of my personality to shush. There are times we can, and should, look past mistakes in writing.
- Text messages or quick emails or scribbled notes – when intended for your family, friends or colleagues – shouldn’t need to be perfect.
- First drafts (or, indeed, second or third drafts) of longer written pieces should focus more on nailing the content than on the secretarial aspects.
- Short posts or comments on social media can also get away with occasional spelling, punctuation or basic grammar errors. (I’m always wary, though, because social media appears to be a bit of a hunting ground for grammar-righteous people who have too much time on their hands.)
Your ‘care factor’ concerning the ‘correctness’ of your written communication should really be dependent on four things:
- your audience
- the platform
- the subject
- your intention.
As an editor and a writer, I believe these four areas make all the difference when it comes to the potential consequences of a few errors.