Guest Post: Writing and the English Language

by Author Sherri Hayes

I was doing a radio interview about a year ago and the host asked if I’d always wanted to be a writer. The simple answer to that is a resounding no. Becoming a writer was never a consideration for me growing up.

Why? First of all, I suck at English. Some of you are probably laughing right about now, but it’s true. Even today, when my editor tries to explain grammar rules to me, my eyes glaze over. English is not one of my strengths.

As a child, I had stories in my head. I just never wrote any of them down. As an adult, I gravitated toward customer service jobs—ones where good communication was essential. I think these two things, combined with my love of reading romances, have helped to make me a better writer. I understand how to break things down and explain them to someone who may not normally understand the situation. That’s a great skill to have as an author, and one I’m forever grateful to have.

Although I may never understand all the technical aspects of writing, I try to concentrate on my strengths. We all have them. We all have weakness too. It’s part of life and what makes us unique.

(Originally posted 3/6/13 on Beautiful Mistakes)

Author Bio

Sherri spent most of her childhood detesting English class. It was one of her least favorite subjects because she never seemed to fit into the standard mold. She wasn't good at spelling, or following grammar rules, and outlines made her head spin. For that reason, Sherri never imagined becoming an author.

At the age of thirty, all of that changed. After getting frustrated with the direction a television show was taking two of its characters, Sherri decided to try her hand at writing an alternate ending, and give the characters their happily ever after. By the time the story finished, it was one of the top ten read stories on the site, and her readers were encouraging her to write more.

Nearly eight years later, Sherri is the author of eight full-length novels, and two short stories. Writing has become a creative outlet that allows her to explore a wide range of emotions, while having fun taking her characters through all the twists and turns she can create. You can find a current list of all of Sherri’s books and sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.sherrihayesauthor.com.