Is Your Lack Of Writing Skill Holding You Back?
Are you concerned that you don't know how to use the nuts and bolts of writing skills well enough to be the writer you dream of? Perhaps you have many wonderful ideas for things you would love to write, but you are scared off because you know that your practical skills (spelling, grammar and punctuation) aren't as good as they should be.
Are these skills even important? Some would have you believe a high level of language literacy isn't necessary: if your writing is 'good enough', they reason, your writing skills won't even matter. On the other hand, other people may make you feel that unless you have university level qualifications, you shouldn't even bother.
The answer is, like for many things, somewhere in between.
Editors will not bother to read a story with obvious mistakes in it; so even the most wonderful story will be trashed if it is full of errors. However, there are people who have never achieved school qualifications in English who have become published authors. How do they do it? They have worked hard to learn the necessary skills.
If your writing skills aren't as good as they should be; don't let that hold you back. However, don't remain ignorant either. Do what you can - diligently and persistently - to improve your skills.
One very unfortunate 'lesson' that may have stuck with you from school is that you can never be better than you are now. If you flunked school language studies: too bad. You're a failure for life. This is totally wrong. Language skills may be harder to learn for some than others, but you can learn them if you want to.
As with the creative side of writing, there are many courses, (both on the internet and elsewhere) that may be taken to improve your writing skills. If you feel like you are starting at junior school level, then go to the bookstore or library and look for textbooks for children, and find some that explain the skills at a level that makes sense to you. (The bookstore sale assistants don't need to know it's for you if you're embarrassed about it.) As you get better, you can work up to more detailed books.
Does it require work? Yes, of course, but anyone who practices something regularly is bound to get better at it, even if it takes you a while. Just don't let your lack of skills hold you back from a great future.
If you want to read more then visit HG Nadel's blog where she share every aspect of writing. HG Nadel is a writer herself and she gives meticulous attention to detail and is a very skilled communicator.