CHAPTER 5

Grammar

People who are frightened about making mistakes often have tremendous difficulty writing. Grammar can appear to be a minefield of potential error and thus, for many, it is the most frightening element of writing.

You can combat this fear. Relax and try to write as naturally as possible. You’ll usually find any grammatical errors when you do a careful proofreading. When I asked one professional how she managed to write such good letters, she replied: “Simple. I have a good secretary.” Her secretary filled the role of proofreader. Most people don’t need a secretary, however, to find and fix their errors. But first, they have to get something down on paper.

Relax and just start writing—after you’ve done the planning we talked about ...

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