In the last grammar pet-peeves post, I noticed some fanfic writers who were really discouraged from writing. I hate to see someone who has a passion for, or a desire to write get discouraged because of something like poor grammar.
Does a good writer really equate to perfect use of grammar? Definitely not. Just as perfect grammar does not equate to a well-written story. Sometimes a writer has a gift for stringing together sentences the way nobody else can, or has a story to tell that only he/she can tell, or a style of writing that is uniquely his/hers.
Anyone ever hear of Ernest Hemingway? Ever hear him called a genius, or hear about his influence on American writing? Well, I've read his unedited letters, and his grammar was atrocious. Misspellings, misuse of words (and we are talking your vs. you're), to the point where I was quite amazed.
So, how about some support for our fandom writers who would love to tell their stories, but don't necessarily have the best grammatical skills?
Maybe some betas/editors and readers can confirm that they've read stories with amazing prose, yet poor grammar. (It does exist.) And no need to name the story if it might embarrass the writer.
Maybe some of you can ask your grammatical questions and actually get help rather than pounced on.
Add some websites that you know of that offer grammar tips/pointers.
Request a beta or offer beta services.
Mostly, writers, just have fun!