subject: Article Submission Guidelines: Top 5 Myths About Article Quality [print this page] Publishers are looking for high quality articles, and violating a publishers article submission guidelines for grammar and spelling can result in your article being declined.
Why is grammar so important?
Your articles are being published all over the Internet, and they are a reflection of YOU. People all over the world are looking at your articles, so you want to put your best foot forward. A grammatically correct article is an indication of your articles quality and is a sign of respect for your readers. Additionally, an article that is free of grammar errors increases the pool of publishers who will find your article attractive.
Here are five popular myths about article quality:
Myth #1 - A grammatically correct article sounds overly formal.
FACT: Writing with correct grammar and spelling does not mean that your article needs to sound like a doctoral thesis. You can still write in your own style and in your own voice, and your article can have a conversational tone to it. Most publishers are on the look out for major grammar issues, such as putting a full stop at the end of each sentence, subject/verb agreement, proper capitalization at the beginning of each sentence, and proper use of words like its, its, your and youre.
From the viewpoint of a publisher and a reader, grammar errors in an article make the article difficult to understand. The idea is not to sound like a college professor and use high and lofty language. Your goal is simply to state your points in everyday language that everyone can understand.
Myth #2 - The English language does not have any definite grammar rules.
FACT: While there are some slight differences between British English and American English, both countries agree on the basics:
The subject of the sentence should agree with the verb. The first letter of the first word of each sentence should be capitalized. Proper nouns should be capitalized. The words your and youre have different meanings and are not interchangeable.
Myth #3 - As long as readers can figure out what youre trying to say, your article does not need to be grammatically correct.
With texting and instant messaging, it is a plus to use abbreviations and to get your point across using as few words as possible. Nowadays there are many forms of communication that do not place a high value on grammar, but article marketing is not one of them.
Readers will make judgments about your business, products and services based on the quality of your article. If your article contains numerous errors and looks thrown together, what does that say about you?
Publishers will make decisions about the quality of your article based on your attention to spelling and grammar, which influences how many websites republish your article.
Myth #4- Article marketing is about building links, so its a waste of time to proofread articles.
Building links is one of the main reasons why people submit articles, but in order to earn the link you need to put forth the effort by writing a high quality article.
Myth #5 - You need a degree in English in order to write grammatically correct articles.
If you are a professional person in the working world, most likely you have the necessary language skills to write a grammatically correct article. Every writer should proofread their articles several times and think very hard about what they are writing, but most people are able to write acceptable articles with some effort.
Think about it--if you are applying for your dream job, you will think very carefully about each sentence of your cover letter to be sure that it sends the message that you are the right person for the job. You will likely have a friend with a good eye for grammar read over your resume and cover letter before sending them to your potential employer.
Each article that you submit is like a mini job interview. Potential customers are reading your article! Pay special attention to the grammar and spelling in your article to make the best impression possible.
