Syntax error

Writers are professionals. In the same way doctors and lawyers and firefighters and police officers are trained with, as the film Taken explained, a particular set of skills, writers are trained professionals. It's irritating, as a result, to see companies hiring for writers and offering the lowest amount of wages possible. Not everyone can do what trained writers can. I'm reminded of that daily by postings on Facebook and other social forums.

A girl posted something recently, for instance, stating another girl "probably Dosent even know..." Mmm, yes. Speaking of doesn't know...and never mind the awkward, mid-sentence capitalization. But the girl with this post shouldn't feel bad... or is it Shoodint? I've seen problems like this in stuff produced by people seeking writers. Wanted: writers, the ad reads. It goes on to explain the details with a number of errors included. Indeed. I'll say you need writers. Post haste! I even saw some errors like that in a form for a writing contest. Yes, very good. Send your work to us. We will judge it worthy of this cash reward, yet, clearly, we aren't the best writers ourselves.

And I don't consider myself a "grammar Nazi," either. Notice, for instance, how I started that last sentence with the word and? You can do that, by the way. Your elementary teacher taught it to you wrong. There are plenty of people that bristle over minor grammar flaws–like the fact I just wrote "people that" a moment ago–but I'm not one of those. But I do rip my hair out over things like Dosent. I mean, really? Why not just go full Phoenician and write Duzint?

And that girl, the one you hire to answer phones and file folders–which is a perfectly fine job, by the way–she has the same basic pay structure as the people you are hiring to shape your corporate communications plan? Wow. Here's another way to look at it: Think about the most inspiring things you've heard a leader say. "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall..." Or if you prefer, "We chose to do these things not because they are easy but because they are hard." Insert another of your choice. Man, moves you emotionally, doesn't it? But Reagan, Kennedy and other great leaders spoke inspirational and uplifting words–that were written...by writers.  Kennedy, for instance, will suggest things to focus on, take certain sentences out, suggest a different word, but it's ultimately the job of a skilled, trained writer to pick all the words out.

Think of any great message in human history. The Constitution was written. The Magna Carta was written. The BIBLE was written for crying out loud. We hold these truths to be self evident... the girl that made that Facebook posting "probably Dosent even know" what that means.

Yet there are people out there seeking professional writers and they can't discern the difference between her and a real professional and, to borrow once again from Taken, that makes those HR people, "a nightmare for people" like me. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe those other professions I mentioned have it the same way. What are your qualifications to join the police force? Well, I don't know anything about self defense, tactical movements, weapons training, interrogation techniques or the penal code. I used to play cops and robbers in school, though. Boom. You're hired.