Proofread This!

Though all my blogging buddies come from a variety of backgrounds, in my mind they all share one trait. Whether they write personally or professionally, in a folksy manner or with a more scholarly tone, they all know their way around the English language.

So a question for all of you--because of your writing skills, have you ever been asked to help write or to proofread something created by someone else?

I know it’s happened to me. Someone will start up, "You’re a writer. Can you take a look at this (fill in the blank) and tell me what you think?" Sometimes I’ll look at a cover letter for a job or some kid's class assignment and think to myself, "Boy, this isn't the way I'd write this."

Once, I proofread something for a friend of mine, suggesting a lot of changes as it seemed quite awkwardly worded. He appeared perturbed and offended. "All I wanted was for you to check for grammar, spelling, punctuation-stuff like that."

Ohhhhhhh! Sorry. Makes me wonder what Shakespeare would have done if his kid asked, "Dad, you’re a good writer, can you write me a note to get me out of school today? I feel sick" . . .

To be at class or not to be at class, that is the question;
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of fever and pain,
Or to take rest against my sea of troubles,
And by staying in bed, end them.
That flesh is heir to learn, to know, to pass - 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd.
But to come and perchance to infect the plague,
Ay, there's the rub

"No, dad. All you have to say is "Please excuse Bill junior from class today. He’s ill."

Nobody can please everyone. And I, of course, am no Shakespeare. In fact, when I used to anonymously haunt on-line discussion groups, offering my humble opinion among minds and scribes both great and ungreat (word?), I was accused of being a noted author. Not because I wrote well, but because they thought this author was trying to disguise himself by deliberately writing badly. Fair ‘nuf.

But it kind of makes me wonder how those of us not shy about scribbling our minds for cyberspace respond when someone starts up-"Hea, you’re a writer, can you take a look at this . . . ."