8 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
8 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Quick question about writing

by Evishiko
7 replies
I hope this is the right sub-forum to ask that, I couldn't find any better suited to that question.

A person whose mother tongue is not English,
Moreover, his mother tongue is not even using Latin letters; and on top of that is written right to left,

Could that person write? A blog for example?
Write an information product? (Let's say an ebook)
Market to the English speaking market?

Better to ask,
Should that person even get into it?
Would you advise him to do so?
--------------------------------------------

That person is of course myself.
I'm a 21 year old from Israel and I consider my English to be bad.
What do I mean in bad? Bad to my standards. Bad as I want it to be much better than my current level, And I plan to reach there.

This is the thing that scares me the most that's for sure, I can relate it to a short guy trying to become a professional basketball player. He can work hard and achieve that, but should he?
Another analogy would be a person moving to Israel from Russia, learning Hebrew. He will get the hang of it but will make misuses of plural forms, male/female forms etc.. (Not to mention the accent)

I can get my ideas out, People understand what I write (how do I speak is not to be talked about), but still I'd feel like that guy coming from russia to israel.
I'm afraid of being overlooked, afraid of being taken not seriously.

I can't live with the idea of outsourcing all the writing work, this is just not the same, as the content will never be the same this way.
You don't see a professional's blog content (wasn't sure where to put the attribution 's') coming from anyone other than the blog owners.

If you wonder, learning correct English is very important to me, and not only because I want to market to english speaking markets, but as a necessary skill in life. Absolute top priority.
Just wondering what is the possible/right/better way doing that?

I really hope to get more relaxed after I'll read your comments.
#question #quick #writing
  • Profile picture of the author Frank Donovan
    Originally Posted by Evishiko View Post

    Could that person write? A blog for example?
    Write an information product? (Let's say an ebook)
    Market to the English speaking market?

    Better to ask,
    Should that person even get into it?
    Would you advise him to do so?
    Evishko,

    Your blog or info product will stand a chance of success if people find it interesting, entertaining or useful. But if you've got nothing to say, it really doesn't matter how you say it.

    For what it's worth, I find your writing perfectly readable.


    Frank
    Signature


    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6092546].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Raindance
    Your English is fine. Just some minor errors you can easily learn to overcome. You have good grip of the language, so you shouldn't consider yourself an amateur.

    The most important element of trade is value. If your info-product or articles deliver value to the buyers/readers, your grammatical errors will become secondary. People won't remember you for your writing, but for the solutions to their problems you provided through your work.
    Signature
    Making Money without Websites
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6092745].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by Evishiko View Post

    I can relate it to a short guy trying to become a professional basketball player. He can work hard and achieve that, but should he?
    No, because he can't become 20cm taller, and the odds will always be against him. Not true of you, though: your English is pretty good to start with and can easily improve further. It's just your analogy that isn't very good!

    Originally Posted by Evishiko View Post

    Another analogy would be a person moving to Israel from Russia, learning Hebrew. He will get the hang of it but will make misuses of plural forms, male/female forms etc.. (Not to mention the accent)
    Some of those Russian immigrants to Tel Aviv and Netanya and such places end up working as interpreters and in universities, hello ... people acquire language skills and gradually become perfect.

    Originally Posted by Evishiko View Post

    I'd feel like that guy coming from russia to israel. I'm afraid of being overlooked, afraid of being taken not seriously.
    Noooo ... you do much better than you give yourself credit for.

    Sure, there are a couple of little grammar mistakes in your post, above - did they matter? Not at all! Would they matter on a blog? No, hardly at all, especially when you have an "about me" page which mentions that English is your second/third language. What matters is what you have to say about the subject you're writing about.

    If you're really worried about it, it would be easy enough for you to have what you publish on your blog quickly read over by someone whose first language is English. They won't need to change much.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6092911].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author solodolo
    I think you could definitely do it
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6092997].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Perry
    You seem to have a better grasp on English than you think. There are many people who are English first language that have more difficulty than you. Only ti me and experience will give you the grasp at when to use words like than/then and effect/affect (to name a few), so stick with it and be sure to keep asking questions here on WF if you're unsure.

    Take care,

    Kevin
    Signature
    Owner and Operator of 6StarMedia.com - A website design and marketing firm
    Marketing Consultant for AuctionAutoBidder.com - An eBay Auction Sniper service
    Check out one of my clients for Database Services - Pebble IT
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6093059].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author BridgetSielicki
    I agree with others who say that your English is much better than you think - I have read far, far worse!

    Don't let your fear of writing or your language be an impediment to you building your blog. You write quite fine already, and if you make a commitment to writing regularly you will only get better as time goes on.
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6093397].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Evishiko
      Originally Posted by Frank Donovan View Post

      Evishko,

      Your blog or info product will stand a chance of success if people find it interesting, entertaining or useful. But if you've got nothing to say, it really doesn't matter how you say it.

      For what it's worth, I find your writing perfectly readable.


      Frank

      Thank you frank for your precious words!
      So what you basically are saying is that the value of my content and the way I will serve it, will play a bigger role than the non-proper English level.
      I really hope that you are right, what we are talking about now is not a barrier anymore, That part I can surely work out

      Btw, this is not my actual level as I'm making use of some sort of Grammar checking software (does anybody know a good one?), But I'll live just fine if that's the big aid I would be needing.

      Originally Posted by Raindance View Post

      Your English is fine. Just some minor errors you can easily learn to overcome. You have good grip of the language, so you shouldn't consider yourself an amateur.

      The most important element of trade is value. If your info-product or articles deliver value to the buyers/readers, your grammatical errors will become secondary. People won't remember you for your writing, but for the solutions to their problems you provided through your work.
      Thank you! Words like that are truly putting hope in me

      Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

      No, because he can't become 20cm taller, and the odds will always be against him. Not true of you, though: your English is pretty good to start with and can easily improve further. It's just your analogy that isn't very good!



      Some of those Russian immigrants to Tel Aviv and Netanya and such places end up working as interpreters and in universities, hello ... people acquire language skills and gradually become perfect.



      Noooo ... you do much better than you give yourself credit for.

      Sure, there are a couple of little grammar mistakes in your post, above - did they matter? Not at all! Would they matter on a blog? No, hardly at all, especially when you have an "about me" page which mentions that English is your second/third language. What matters is what you have to say about the subject you're writing about.

      If you're really worried about it, it would be easy enough for you to have what you publish on your blog quickly read over by someone whose first language is English. They won't need to change much.
      I actually stand after my first analogy for the most part, as there are short Professional players (By "Short" I do not mean "midget", more like a regular-non-basketball-player height) who just had to work their ways really hard.

      Though, you are right about that this is a permanent situation for him but not for me.

      Sure there are exceptions everywhere, the idea behind my questions was that maybe I should choose some other way, with fewer obstacles

      I want to thank you from the deepest of my heart, since you (you all actually!) had strengthened my confidence and have put my worries on small fire
      I'll certainly make use of your advice about using a native English speaker to proofread my content. Time for some searching

      Originally Posted by solodolo View Post

      I think you could definitely do it
      Thank you for your support!

      Originally Posted by The Godfather View Post

      You seem to have a better grasp on English than you think. There are many people who are English first language that have more difficulty than you. Only ti me and experience will give you the grasp at when to use words like than/then and effect/affect (to name a few), so stick with it and be sure to keep asking questions here on WF if you're unsure.

      Take care,

      Kevin
      Thanks Kevin, those are some heartwarming words.


      Originally Posted by BridgetSielicki View Post

      I agree with others who say that your English is much better than you think - I have read far, far worse!

      Don't let your fear of writing or your language be an impediment to you building your blog. You write quite fine already, and if you make a commitment to writing regularly you will only get better as time goes on.

      I'm happy to hear That (As possible as hearing on a forum is).
      It really puts a lot of hope in me, And I will certainly remember your comment and you it at times I'm in need of some inspiration.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6094359].message }}

Trending Topics