Writing corner. Writing help?

[Szdfan]

it is nice to be able to write freely, trusting the effort to understand will be made.

I suppose that is nice. I would say this, that as a rule of thumb, I assume that if it's not worth the author's time or energy to write using proper grammar and punctuation, it's probably not worth my time or energy to try to decipher what they are trying to say. Use of proper grammar and punctuation is one way of showing respect to people one is writing to.

The question is: why is someone writing? What's the purpose? Is it free expression or is it to communicate something? There's nothing wrong with writing freely in whatever way you want, but the intention is to communicate, you're hurting your own efforts if you don't use proper writing conventions. I "write freely" too, but it's in private, for myself. I try to use standard writing conventions for grammar and punctuation when I'm communicating with other people in public.

I also agree with Ken -- it's a respect issue. Writing properly shows respect to the people you are trying to communicate with. It takes a lot of effort to read bad writing. Making your readers do your work for you because you can't be bothered to write in complete sentences isn't respectful.

Again, I don't think it's fair to complain about reading comprehension until you start writing in standard English.

[temporal1]

it is nice to be able to write freely, trusting the effort to understand will be made.

I suppose that is nice. I would say this, that as a rule of thumb, I assume that if it's not worth the author's time or energy to write using proper grammar and punctuation, it's probably not worth my time or energy to try to decipher what they are trying to say. Use of proper grammar and punctuation is a way of showing respect to people one is writing to.

this is correct, and, this topic was about improving writing skills, not defending bad habits. i don’t want to devolve to the latter.

when i wrote that, i was remembering early MD (from what i read of it) which began with young friends eager to communicate, with more in common than not, reading+writing with interest+mercy. there was desire to communicate more than dissect+criticize, which is now signature social media fare. there was plenty of youthful conflict+contest!




2021 Neto:

I don't know, but it is questionable. Possibly in some small town some place. My impression is that my brother's congregation was until around 5 years ago. (At that time they still held strong to non-resistance, but probably not any longer. From what my brother has told me, they moved away from MB distinctives "in order to survive in their community", the OKC area.) I defined what I mean in some post somewhere, qualifying it as 'conservative' in the sense as it was in the 1960's. Theologically speaking, the changes started gaining ground around 30 years ago. I remember it because we were home on furlough in 1991, and I wrote a letter to the editor of the Christian Leader, the US MB conference periodical.

The issue was women in leadership roles.
A woman from my own home congregation (I was still an MB member at that time) sent in a reply,
and completely misconstrued what I had written.

I did not respond further, but the month after that someone commented how I had been blown out of the water by this other letter.
People do not carefully read what someone else has written before responding, it seems.

I remember that the editors had titled my letter as standing for "tradition", a word I never used in my letter, appealing only to Scripture. I know because I told my dad that they had used it as something of a slur against me,
and he said "No, tradition is good." (It is true, however, there had been a liberal voice in the Christian Leader for a long time then already, the editorial column of Katie Funk Wiebe.)

Reading comprehension is so important.
As well, reading while looking for bias or agenda, is a related problem, probably worse than simply not comprehending.
(But, i think of you as a bit of a master with language.) i only say “a bit of” because i anticipate you would protest otherwise.

I'll just say thank you for the compliment, and that I do try to write clearly, but I know that I do not always succeed.
For me, at least, the main thing is to read back through what I've written, and try to anticipate where there are possibilities of misunderstanding, and then add clarifications. But the downside of this is that it tends to get too long, something my wife tells me I should avoid. (I have noticed this especially in emails, that if I ask more than one question or bring up more than one issue, generally only the first will be dealt with.)

I also realize that not everyone can follow my thought processes, which are probably sometimes somewhat convoluted.

[temporal1]

Szd:
The question is: why is someone writing? ..

Well, actually .. speaking for myself, i began on MD hoping to find female Mennonites to interact with.
There weren’t many, honestly, i didn’t know if it was ok if i posted or not - i asked!!
i was told, “they (women) are there, just wait,” and, “yes, you may post.” i began, most response was from Robert+gcdonner, who were both very active (esp with each other) at the time. and, the young members. mostly welcoming. mostly interested in each other. it was nice. i began learning about family computers and women reading, lurkers, not often posting. i continued.

within the first year, many left. lots went to FB, some were inviting to join. some married, went to school, work, started families, etc. Forum dynamics changed. Some would return to check in now+then. Some were seasonal.

for a long while, i didn’t sense anyone was reading my posts - - - that didn’t bother me. i began “writing to myself.”
it seemed harmless enough. honestly, i like going unnoticed. that’s one of the perks of getting older, nobody notices me.
i like that. it’s comfortable. freeing.

now i have to rethink.
what if people are reading? that changes things. i’m not sure that’s what i want, at all. i’m not sure it’s happening.
i don’t know. i’d have to think about it.

people write for different reasons. most don’t write, or read, at all. this forum doesn’t represent a majority of anything, i suppose.
it has a common thread of interest in Christianity, esp from the Mennonite-Anabaptist pov. [From the best i can tell, that’s what brings most here.] Read registration posts.

Szd:
Again, I don't think it's fair to complain about reading comprehension until ..

My intent is to point out the importance of reading comprehension skills, not suggesting i’m a shining example.

Using other words, the request to “please read what i wrote” is repeated over+over by plenty of others on forum.
i just call it reading comprehension. that’s what they used to call it. it’s a phrase. not a moral judgment.

i’m not special. Reading for content is a recognized problem. For me and others.
That’s why i wonder if schools emphasize it as they did in the past??

From appearances on this forum, evidence is, cM schools must value it, the overall best active readers+writers, critical thinkers, probably came out of cM schools/home schools. [(???) My impression.]

i identify with Neto above.^^