Authors: Every word you write is an audition. Don't let readers think you're an idiot.

Every word a writer writes must be considered to be an audition, a tryout, part of a competition, the equivalent of a performance on America's Got Talent, American Idol, etc.

It would be a shame to turn off prospective readers and lose book sales because of silly, easily corrected errors. Read, re-read, and re-re-read everything you write.

A while ago I read a writer's blog.

• The writer said that someone "range" [rang] the doorbell, wore "sheek" [chic] clothing and that something is "cheep" [cheap].
• This person also wrote "nation-wide" [nationwide], "main stream" [mainstream], "self published" [self-published] and more.
• This person mentioned "the hard work of revising and polishing" a book.

The blog deserved similar hard work. (Confession: I am not perfect, but I try to be. Some people don't try.)

It's important that those of us who have writing careers never go "off-duty." We must produce professional-caliber work all of the time, even if it's just a 20-word Tweet or a three-word reply to an email. Never excuse your own sloppiness. Never say, "It's only an email," "it's only Facebook" or "it's only a blog."

Words intended to promote your books deserve and require extra attention to spelling and grammar. Search for improper punctuation or wrong words. Insert words and punctuation marks that may be in your mind but not on the screen. Make sure everything makes sense. Delete material that may be juvenile, unprofessional, irrelevant or distracting.

Here are some online comments I recently read from authors:

1. I am interesting in your opinion of my new book.
2. my new book shall be available soon a true story I am a first time writer who went for the self publishing road e book and pod I am looking forward to the launch date shall be announce soon.I shall keep you all posted. many thanks for reading this article for an extract from my book go to my blog page
3. It's about a girl, Julien, that's trying to adjust to life in a new place after her parents divorced. Just as she is starting to settle in, an "attack" by a Breaker, a person who can enter a persons mind and control thoughts and actions, shakes the town. Before she knows it, her life takes a difficult turn and it could be more than she can handle. Again, you reading it would be super kick ass. 
4. For a short period of time the ebook addition will be on sale for only 99 cents.
5. It seems no one will ever run out of questions about ISBN's - least of all me!
   When you fill in your short & long descriptions on your ISBN numbers
6. I've published an analogy
7. My first novel, Darkness Forbidden, was published in December on Kindle the paperback should be released shortly.
8. In the early 90s, Sheila and I selling my art at malls and arts & craft shows, decided to create a few in-demand original titles 
9. they should have went with Vantage
10. I need some good honest and reallistic advice. I used AuthorHouse to publish my historical fiction and was very unhappy with their work. I want to format the book myself and then find a link to a POD arrangement bor printing.
11. Author presently resides in Easton, Pennsylvania and remains in close contact with his family members. Who cares? Is this a reason to buy the book?
12. The writers adventures as both a military officer and quality professional add greatly to the writings contained in this epic tail of adventure.
13. My book and movie is going to catch the world on fire! 
14. Myself and two other authors in the same genre are thinking of . . . 

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Even alleged publishing 'pros' make stupid mistakes for the world to see:

1. Outskirts Press founder Brent Sampson wrote that Roget's Thesaurus was published by Peter Mark (actually, Peter Roget published it), confused a foreword with a preface, and misspelled "offset." Brent advises that "Errors in your writing cause readers to question your credibility."  He's right about that.
2. Lulu founder Bob Young misspelled "misspell" and confused "less" and "fewer." A publisher should know better. 

keyboard photo is Microsoft clip art