You’re much too kind. Thank you

I just believe that media companies are there for a reason. Cost-cutting should never be an excuse for hiring sub-standard employees– particularly those who are coming up with all kinds of broadcast copy, corporate correspondences and marketing materials.

I just find it sad that a great deal of local media companies fail in that regard– Velvet, Maxx, the Solar Channels– the writing is just horrendous.

I agree with you about the media companies – newspapers – who are negligent in the proper use of writing. Even the English paper here in HK (SCMP), I see basic grammar rules forgotten. Growing up, I was told I could improve my English by reading English language newspapers. It’s no longer true! We’ve subscribed to the Int’l Herald Tribune and National Geographic magazines and these are thankfully well written.

Thanks for stopping by. If you ask me, writing, just like any other profession, can be lucrative. Or at least very much rewarding. For me, it’s really more of a balance of being able to do exactly what you want to do, build up your market value, and still get some bills paid, all while having the freedom to do all the other things you want. In my case, it’s travel and spending time with family.

Media companies- at least the good ones- should see themselves as bastions of proper English usage. Even government, for all their public speeches full of stammers and unnecessary fillers. This country doesn’t take statesmanship seriously, apparently.

Heck, someone has to do things right around here. I’m glad you take the effort and the initiative to do things right. Texting might have its place (if you really need to cram all that info in 165 characters), but I for one discourage it- just like you, I would imagine.

In fact, your post has inspired me to write something on the topic. Please do watch out for it in the coming days.

Thank you once again.

Thank you very much for the article. This is a much coveted article I’ve been looking for.

When I was in high school, I really liked composing, writing and editing my own work written in English. Having gone to another field or line of work where English is not much used, as in your day-to-day kind of job as writer, reporter or media consultant, I found myself writing from simple letters (such as cover letters, fund-raising appeal, responding to various organizations or people for explanation or info, and the like) to moderate complex business letters but not having done one on the technical writing side. I must admit I wanted to write one but did not know how since I have not taken a course in journalism.

Each letter or composition I write, I always have to be reminded by the rules of grammar, verb tenses, subject and predicate relationships, mechanical aspects of English, messages conveyed, the audience and so forth. I develop this habit of editing, re-editing my work until I believe it is right. There are times I am not sure of my composition but many of my friends and co-workers are impressed since many of them can’t write like I do. They started requesting me to compose letters for them or correct and improve their letters.

One thing that really impress me is when I see people who can fire up a memo, instruction or reminder in a flash without so much of an effort! I know they have this kind of experience and is part of their daily job. The use of words and the command in English is a much desirable thing to have or learn. I remember telling my dad one time that I wanted to take up journalism to which he told me that it was “starving fee” kind of profession. How true is this?

English is a wonderful language and a song to my heart and life but I find the new generation destroying her beauty! Because of the proliferation and popularity of text messaging where simple rules are ignored or bypassed, I am afraid English will not be the same English that we know of. More importantly, pressure from the public and media will make the authorities accept the new kind of English as either standard or alternative one. Since the next generation will not know the correct spelling, tenses, agreements, or basic rules of paragraphs, I can imagine a simple memo or instruction will be filled with shortcuts or truncated words or sentences:

“dear mr. writer, ur meeting w/ me iz pstpnd 2dy for 2morw @ 2pm. In d meantime, cn I c u dis pm in my office? G8!”

By the way, I wrote a personal observation on this phenomena years ago.

Again, thank you for the article and I really appreciate it. I have to go back to your previous articles and read some of them.