Excellent Grammar and the New American Dream

I don’t know if you know this, but the American Dream is changing. Instead of climbing the corporate ladder and waiting years for the authority and freedom that comes with a head honcho position at the firm, millions (seriously, millions) of Americans are choosing to skip the headache and just work for themselves. God bless technology!

Freelancing is so hot right now.

What many entrepreneurial-minded individuals often don’t realize, however, is that every company relies on its reputation to do business. And that when you work for yourself, your individual reputation is the reputation of the company. And when that is the case, particularly in a world where most communication is done through email, text, and social media, one’s ability to present a professional, grammatically correct face is vital to making a living.

Which is why I’m frequently shocked (and appalled!) by the number of professionals out there who are so savvy in their trade and so incompetent in their phrasing. I don’t care if it is “just a confirmation email”! If it’s going to someone who might be (or already is) giving you money, you better make sure everything is spelled correctly! So that’s the PSA for today: Use good grammar!

Now, you may be thinking, My job has nothing to do with words, or even communication! I’m not some book nerd grammar nazi! Who cares if I’m always right as long as the job gets done!

Yes you do! Shut up!

Well, shame on you! First of all, you should know that everyone, whether they are self-proclaimed grammar nazis or not, loves to point out other people’s grammar mistakes, and you shouldn’t give them the satisfaction! Second, no matter what your field (or personal interests) correct communication can have a huge impact on your career. And the good people at Grammarly are here to prove it.

Grammarly is devoted to promoting healthy grammar, and as part of their endeavor, they have conducted a study of how good (or bad) grammar can affect one’s earnings, particularly for freelancers. Then, because they understand the American penchant for TL;DR, they compiled all their data into this amazing infographic:  
 

The bottom line? People with good grammar skills earn more than those without them. So if you want the big bucks, buckle down and diagram your sentences.

Just kidding! You don’t even have to do that, because  once again Grammarly, benefactor to the masses, is here to save you. They have this incredible device called the Grammarly Grammar Checker (because they are basically super heroes). All you have to do is insert your paragraph, and they will tell you whether it is correct! It will also check to see if you plagiarized. You can use this to feel superior to others as well! It is very efficient and super fun. Here is an example of what the Grammar Check looks like:

Step 1: Insert Text

Step 2: Learn about all the things you did wrong.

Use it! It will literally earn you money. 

If you have a large, intricate, or highly important project, it might still sometimes be a good idea to engage the services of a professional (ahem--like me--ahem). Grammarly also offers a ton of other services and tools for people who want to learn more about grammar and writing, and work on developing those skills. Or at the very least, you should ask another smart person to be a second set of eyes. But if you want to quickly ensure that your emails won’t humiliate you (at least for grammatical reasons), these easy to use Grammarly tools can be invaluable.

The proof is in the pudding. That you won’t have to eat anymore, because people will hire you, because your grammar doesn’t suck. Enjoy your new, pricier desserts!

*I should note that I was asked to do a post about this stuff by the people at Grammarly. But I would talk it up even if they hadn’t asked me, because I do believe in the cause of widespread good grammar, and that people who can’t be bothered are unprofessional. And also because I have been following Grammarly for years on Twitter and I like them.