When you blog alot and you have an extensive readership, you can expect alot criticism. You put yourself out there. I have no problem with alot of constructive criticism of Nursing Law & Order. It goes with the territory and I have a thick skin. For example, I know my alot blog posts throughout the years since I have blogged since 2006 have typos and grammatical errors. I used to run alot of my blog post through a spell check and grammar check software but when you wear multiple hats as a solo and you are trying to get the information out to nurses something has to give. When I post a blog post, I am not writing an article to a nursing journal and if I put the time into my blog posts that I put into reading, re-writing, and proofing a document, I would have may 85 blog perfect blog posts instead of 1100+ blog posts. Yes, I blog hard, baby. I blog alot.
However incorrect grammar and typos should not appear in any blog or in any publication especially one written by a lawyer. What is the solution for someone like me with a heavy case load who loves to blog but can't take 4 hours to draft and proof a blog post like a legal document? Tina, my VA.
I recently hired a virtual assistant to work with me on alot of administrative projects and tasks. My virtual assistant Tina will actually start with my most recent blog posts and work her way back, one hour each week, correcting alot grammar and typos in my blog posts. If you find something and you just feel the need to pass it along on the blog, send it to Tina at [email protected] with the Date and Name of the Blog Post and she will take care of it. Actually she may thank you, Lisa the NP for providing her with alot of additional tasks to bill. Make sure you include [RE: Nursing Law & Order Typo and Use of Alot]
Who is Lisa, the NP? She is a NP who sent me an email this evening about using alot (which is not a word) instead of a lot because use of alot instead of a lot is a Pet Peeve of hers. I like alot instead of a lot because that extra space is wearing down my thumb and I am sure I have alot and/or a lot throughout my blog posts alot over the years as Lisa also noted. Although, Lisa noted I used alot more than a lot in alot of my blog post; she did not give me a percentage however of my use of alot as compared to alot vs. allot. Lisa, the NP, thank you for taking alot of your time with your review and thanks alot for the constructive criticism of my blog. You spent alot of time reviewing my blog and the only thing you commented on was my use of alot vs a alot; nothing about the content. Go figure!
I will make sure Tina corrects my use of alot in all not just alot of my blog posts from 2006-2011 starting with this one. I may also take a refresher course this year on the proper use, balance, and mixture of the King's English vs. Urban and Rural Slang in niche blogging. Thanks alot, Lisa. Thank you alot more, Tina.
Thanks, Tess. I would never be "that" rude to contact someone I have never meet before and do not know and say "you need to do X, Y, and Z." I actually had someone email me a month or so ago and threaten to "out me" because my RN license couldn't be verified on the State of Ohio website. I suggested he call the OBON office during business hours or check Nursys but I am who I say I am and my RN license is active. Tess, you will have to consider writing a guest blog post.
Posted by: LaTonia Denise Wright, RN, BSN, JD | April 10, 2011 at 03:39 PM
I must say Lisa is like (alot) of nurses I have come in contact with in my career, critisize other nurses in place of celebrating the fact a nurse is putting herself out there and making a name for nursing.
Blogs, text and much of internet communication is casual and is like the short hand of online communications, In my opinion blogs and text etc. are not meant to be "english" perfect.
I like your blog, I read it for the content and I am quite happy to overlook alot of mistakes :)
Posted by: tess | April 10, 2011 at 07:32 AM