Pubic Safety vs Public Safety
Imagine sending an email newsletter out to 15,000 colleagues and getting it THIS wrong.
My former colleague and good friend did get it this wrong. A highly skilled communications professional, one of the best in the business in my opinion. But a little proof-reading slip led to more than 15,000 people reading about the importance of ‘pubic safety’ instead of ‘public safety’.
The somewhat lost art of proof-reading is the simplest way to level up your written communication.
Taking care with your writing shows respect for your reader – whether it’s a text message, job application, work email or social letter. It reveals a level of consideration, and inherently communicates something about how you want to be seen and known.
We don’t necessarily need to shoot for perfection, but there might be some peace to be found in avoiding the needless anxiety that arises in the panicked search for the ‘recall message’ button.
I debated whether to publish this post, because it feels a bit… snooooze… but given only two people in my life always have perfect written communication (one is my dad, the other a long-time colleague and friend), I know it will serve as a helpful reminder.
Proofing errors happen to the best of us… can you spot the spelling mistake in this book cover that was published last year?
Many of us can relate to embarrassing errors caused by rushing, pubic safety-style. I once misspelt someone’s name in a newsletter. A former colleague accidentally included the name of a consultant she was referencing negatively in the ‘cc’ section of an email (VERY awkward).
Harmless to you, game over to me?
Sloppy writing is one of those things that some people don’t worry about, and some people care deeply about – even in very causal situations. I know I’m not alone in having discarded job applications for careless communication or errors in applications.
If you’re trying to make a good impression on your reader, you need to proof-read your writing.
I know of CEOs who fire off emails riddled with errors. You may also. I’m not saying you can’t get ahead if you’re careless with your comms, but I can promise that being more intentional doesn’t have a downside. If we want to be powerful about how we subtly communicate our value, it’s important to get the basics right.
Here’s three quick tips to consider when you’re reviewing your writing:
Avoid writing like this! You don’t want too many exclamation marks! It makes it hard for your reader to focus on what you’re trying to say! Yes, even in friendship message groups! It is truly astounding how the exclamation mark has found its way into every second sentence. I have nothing against exclamation marks, in fact I use them all the time! But if you notice more than a couple in a paragraph, replace a few with full stops.
Outside of headlines, avoid the temptation to capitalise more than ONE word at a time. IT COMES ACROSS SHOUTY AND IS VERY HARD FOR YOUR READER.
It’s 101, but if you avoid the most common grammatical errors in English, you will set yourself apart. Master the correct use of your/you’re, their/there/they’re, its/it’s, to/too and no/know. It is astounding how often people get these wrong, and also interesting the extent some people will judge your level of intelligence based on these errors. I know of a business deal that fell over because of one party’s intolerance of the other’s sloppy grammar. If you’re unsure, refer to the 101 reference guide at the end of this post…
Know when to phone a friend
There’s nothing like a set of fresh eyes to pick up on a bit of ‘pubic safety’ or ‘bestelling’ authors. If you’re writing something that needs to be correct, ask an eagle-eyed friend or colleague to look over it. Even if you have already proof-read it five times.
I cringe when I look back over some of the texts I have sent and see auto-correct errors, silly mistakes from typing too fast or hitting send too early, and the most common one for me – overuse of the exclamation mark!
I have rules for all my ‘formal’ comms – proof-read once, twice or three times depending on the circumstances – but I am committed to upping my game when typing on my phone this year. This might seem over the top – I’m sure my friends and family are not bothered by occasional typos – but it’s conducive to habit forming. The more you practice proofing your work, the more it becomes natural.
It’s also a great way to pick up on all the little mistakes you didn’t realise you’re making. All the ‘don’t know what you don’t know’ stuff.
If you’re happy to share, I’d love to hear any stories of awkward slips in the comments. Let’s inspire others to get on the proof-reading train with our stories!
Thank you for being here,
Larissa
PS – The handy 101 reference guide:
Your: denotes ownership. Your coffee. Your arm. That book is yours.
You’re: a combination of the words ‘you are’. You’re kind. You’re going on holiday tomorrow. It can also be used in a question in casual language to reference ‘are you’, for example: You’re going tomorrow, right?
Their: denotes ownership. Their house. Their problem. The book is theirs.
They’re: a combination of the words ‘they are’. They’re going on holiday. They’re happy. This form cannot be plural – there is no such thing as they’res.
There: a location (hint: it has the word ‘here’ in it and is often used to answer the question ‘where?’). Over there. I’ll see you there. Also in the abstract sense of location: There will be a problem with that. There you go.
Its: denotes ownership (it’s actually the neutral word for ‘his’ or her’). The dog likes its food. The cat licked its tail. This one can be confusing as with most grammar related to possession we add an apostrophe, eg: the cat’s tail. The dog’s food. Fred’s book.
It’s: A combination of ‘it is’. It’s a beautiful day. It’s happening.
Too: A substitute for ‘also’ or to emphasise the following word. I’m going there too. It’s just too hot.
To: Any other use of the word beyond the ‘also’ substitution or emphasis. It usually indicates movement or location: We’re going to the park. It can also be used to indicate infinitive verbs: I want to eat pizza, or the subject of a verb’s action: I gave the book to him yesterday.
No: a response indicating the negative. No. No, I don’t want a piece of cake. Oh no!
Know: the verb to indicate knowledge. I know. You know. We know. There is no such expression as ‘Oh know!’.
Love this. My worst slip-up was failing to proofread a caption. ‘Code like a girl’ became ‘coke like a girl’. Yikes!!! And yes I do think the exclamation marks are warranted on this occasion. But totally agree their overuse in ‘proper’ comms drives me to distraction! And yes I did proofread this post. All errors are my own.
I’d recommend the quick tips for anyone writing a profile for a dating app. How many potential relationships are thwarted by a misplaced ‘ in ‘it’s’?