The Professor's “How To” Writing Improvement Series Part 3

The Benefits of Editing, Text Reading and Word Processing Programs

By Mike AKA The Professor

The difference between That Skillfully Crafted, Top Prize Winning, Front Page Ready Success and yours is What? The Years Of High Standing as a Product of the Educational System?? The Degrees in those Accredited English Literature and Journalism Courses? The Letters B.A., M.A., Ph.D or even designations like “Teacher, Doctor or Professor” perhaps. If you are like most writers especially those whose self confidence is lacking, the answer that pops into your mind is “Mine just isn't good enough”! But why isn't it “Good Enough?”

Many people believe that they need to be as educated as is necessary to have the qualifications to be accepted as a writer in newspapers, print, or on the internet. While I don't deny that education is the best way to achieve credibility because of the high academic standards. Such accreditation from any of the fine Establishments of Higher Education simply proclaims to prospective employers, your possible potential for success as expected.

Is that True? Is that the only way to achieve your goal in writing? Is every writer who has written a best selling short story, poetic copulation, novel, an exception expose or movie screenplay a university graduate, a college professor or an Ivy league person of letters? The answer may surprise you! That answer is No! Some of the best known authors, screenwriters, journalists, playwrights, lyricist and writers were everyday people who simply love to express themselves in print.

Many fine writers, journalist and well known authors didn't have any letters behind their names in print. Here are just a few of them. Jack London, George Orwell, Ray Bradbury, Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain), Charles Dickens, Walt Disney, John Chancellor , John Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Benjamin Franklin, Harper Lee, Stan Lee(Marvel Comics) Susan Lyne, Rod McKuen, George Bernard Shaw, J.D. Salinger, Leo Tolstoy, Leon Uris, DeWitt Wallace and Emile Zola

It may be that one important factor has been left out when people think about writing as a career. The ideal that great writers can be mass produced is erroneous to say the least. While the grammar, spelling and fundamentals can be taught to anyone only those who have the inspiration, desire, sheer determination and the dedication will be the writers who are successful. These are those qualities that can overcome almost anything. All you really need to do it right, is you must want it bad enough! Yes Really That Bad! Honest!

If you want to be a writer you will do what it takes to achieve your goals. I'm not preaching destiny nor fate here my friends. It will be an uphill battle and there will be obstacles to overcome. The one thing that is for certain is that the person who knows they can, has the want to succeed and the passion to follow through on those dreams will make it happen! Talent like cream always rises to the top. If you invest in yourself you will find a way because desire is your motivation and determination is your impetus.

Yes I know, I hear all of those deafening, anguished cries of.” What about getting that diploma? What about the prestige of those degrees? You know those highly prized, impressive ones like Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Philosophiae Doctor or Doctorate, all these prestigious accreditations, surely they account for something, Right?” I never have nor never will knock anyone who has put forth the effort to get a Good Education!

That being stated, just because you have a diploma, degrees or that certificate or accreditation from any of these great and prestigious Establishments of Higher Learning doesn't prove that you are a writer. That still does not guarantee that you will be successful! How well you can memorize details, follow directions and replicate the works of others in no way guarantees that you can be creative when asked to be original. Inspiration can't be programmed nor can imagination be found in a textbook, in a school curriculum or in the software of some word processing files that computer engineers, programmers or gurus can produce.

It takes awareness of ourselves, listening for that inner voice that all of us have. The real creative people do and the nurture it to the fullest. How? By expanding all their human faculties to see, hear, smell, taste and feel the world's beauty and wonders all around as does every young child. Don't be afraid to explore this world and it's wonders. If you can travel do it. If not then read everything you can on whatever you find attracts you.

Get that knowledge from the books, in the libraries, by surf the internet, going to the museums, the art galleries, the cinemas, the shows. Make it a point to try to learn something new everyday. Exercise your mind as well as your body. Do puzzles, draw, paint, take pictures, build and create by using you most prized possession, your imagination. You won't regret it because that is why we are all here in the first place.

Signs of the Internet

We are here to grow, learn and experience all that life has to teach us. After that we are then to share those things that we have learn with our fellow human beings. So here is where I give you my readers the reason that I've brought you here. Here is your prize for reading all the above. Programs that I have on the writers resources and links in particular the Benefits of Editing, Text Reading and Word Processing Programs.

While nothing beats a skilled editor, copy and proof reader these programs can help writers of all levels immensely. First a good quality Word processor is needed. It should be equipped with a spellchecker and word counter. Free ones like Open Office, LibreOffice, Angelwriter and Abwords will provide Spelling and Grammar assistance and are found here in the Writers Resources and Links.

Now a good text reading program can be surprising helful as it reads what you have written not what you thought you have written. Why do I need that I can hear you ask! Because Grasshopper you see what you have written it and in rereading it you will see what you thought you wrote but when it is read back to you the mistakes that you missed will suddenly be heard and then you will catch those errors before putting them in print!I recommend the free ones like Read Again, Ivona and sayz me.

These I have provided and tested myself so I know that they work and work well. They are my gift to you and I ask only that you used them wisely and well. Remember this very old and wise Axiom “The Pen is Mightier than the Sword” My thought on that is this. “The Words you put in print are more telling about you than your photograph, for they reveal your mind and your heart to all who will read them!” So Choose them very carefully!!

Thanks for reading and be sure to leave me a comment, question or response in the comment section below! The Next topic in the series will appear next week so see you then. Regards Mike AKA the Professor.

Copyright October 12th 2011
RePublished May 3rd 2015