Fun With Punctuation in 2011
By Keira, Textbroker Editor
Hi, authors! Now that the holidays are over and we're forging into a new year, we're going to be picking up the pace again at Textbroker. Before running full-hilt into the topic of grammar, we thought we'd have a little fun. To stress how important punctuation is, we're including a link to a BBC article where readers were asked to write one text with two meanings based solely on the punctuation.
You can read some of the submissions here.
We're now opening up the blog to you, and like our post on "Toast Broken," we will be determining the top submissions. Can you do as well as these writers did?
For your submission, please write two versions based on one of the following:
1. A thank you letter
2. An acceptance letter for an unexpected award
3. A follow-up letter to a potential employer
4. A customer suggestion card
Please post all submissions in the comment section below.
We are also implementing some new features on the author side that we think you're going to love:
1. A rating system for client instructions: Authors will be able to rate a client's instructions based on clarity, research required, keyword implementation and whether or not the assignment is appropriate for the quality level requested.
2. A forum: Authors will have a place to communicate outside of the blog.
3. A proofreading system: Clients will have the option to send their accepted articles to a proofreader for correction. Level 4 and 5 authors wishing to participate must successfully complete a test based on the AP Stylebook's guidelines. All proofreaders will be paid per word for their time.
We will reveal more information once we go live with these features.
posted on 01/07/2011 - 05.00 | textbroker blog | comments: 68
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Definitely gonna be nice to have forums. Not being able to talk and communicate is not much fun for me.
Have a good day everyone!added by: author Rand on 01/08/2011 - 02.33
Looking forward to the forum. It will be nice to see other author's thoughts and experiences. Hopefully the authors and clients will be able to use it.added by: author Rand on 01/08/2011 - 02.33
These changes are sure to be outstanding! Thanks for the info.added by: author WestEChris on 01/08/2011 - 02.55
Wow, I am totally looking forward to these improvements!added by: author infodude on 01/08/2011 - 03.12
It would be great to read other authors comments. I think the author and client forum should be seperate though.added by: author DebD on 01/08/2011 - 03.41
YEAAAAH!!!! I am so glad to see a forum! I didn't think there was such a thing as a website for writers without one. It is way overdue, but I'm delighted to see it. It'll undoubtedly become my "second home" in a virtual sense.added by: author Crissie on 01/08/2011 - 06.13
Dear Mr. Smith
It was a pleasure to meet with you yesterday about your company. I know nothing can adequately describe its accomplishments, as mediocre competitors cringe to think of them. Whenever your company’s name comes up in conversation, people react, as I have, with admiration. That you exist at all is a true tribute to your hard work and dedication. My application to work with you would be the height of my career. Little can be said beyond this. I see nothing but a rosy future for us both if you are so kind as to hire me. Oh, please, I hope to hear from you soon with good news. Not to appear overeager, I await your response on pins and needles! So what I'll close with: it is not time for anything more than thanks a lot again.
Sincerely,
Jill
Dear Mr. Smith:
It was a pleasure to meet with you yesterday. About your company, I know nothing. Can adequately describe its accomplishments as mediocre. Competitors cringe to think of them whenever your company’s name comes up. In conversation, people react as I have with admiration that you exist at all. Is a true tribute to your hard work and dedication my application? To work with you would be the height. Of my career, little can be said. Beyond this, I see nothing. But a rosy future for us both if you are so kind as to hire me? Oh, please. I hope to hear from you soon. With good news? Not! To appear overeager, I await. Your response on pins and needles, so what? I'll close with: it is not the time for anything more. Than thanks a lot. Again.
Sincerely,
Jill
added by: author sforsyth on 01/08/2011 - 06.16
Wow! I am so excited about the enhancements to TB.. @ #3. A proofreading system: <== jus' love that one... Thanks TBadded by: author IamParris on 01/08/2011 - 06.51
These are some great additions and improvements! I've want to see a forum for the writers and I think a rating system for the instructions will help me get to level4!!!:)added by: author A-045610 on 01/08/2011 - 06.59
Great ideas - love the proofreading. Now if we could just sort all the articles by their potential pay in addition to by title...added by: author A-051888 on 01/08/2011 - 07.17
Can't wait for all the exciting features for 2011! What a way to bring in the New Year! Awesome job Textbroker!!added by: author A-056304 on 01/08/2011 - 07.45
Thank you. A forum would be a great thing for the authors. I know I will enjoy it.added by: author A-059860 on 01/08/2011 - 08.02
I'm glad I stuck with this group. Who knows where this will go? Hoping the New Year revives us toward greater fulfillments to meet the great expectations.added by: author A-031737 on 01/08/2011 - 08.34
The proposed changes sound great. The rating system of client's instructions, clarity and so forth will be useful; it will surely help clients get what they want. I am very interested in the proofreading. I look forward to hearing more about it.added by: author Susan A on 01/08/2011 - 08.34
I'm glad the clients are getting ratings as well. I'll be honest and say I don't take some of these requests by clients due to the fact it may be only a level 2 or 3 and they have 15 paragraphs of how they want it for what little wording that is recommended. Some of the key words and phrases are absolutely overkill as well in 500-700 word articles. I just find it easier to stay away from those. Just an opinion. I'm not sure how the other authors feel about it.added by: author A-056586 on 01/08/2011 - 09.14
Another thing I noticed is some of the clients' requests are borderline almost illegal. Some of the gambling requests, tax questions and we had a bunch there about U.S. military weapons and backpack gear back in October or so. I sometimes wonder what intentions people have when we write these articles. Again, just my opinion and I just don't take these type of articles. I'd feel guilty however knowing if they were used in an ill manner however.added by: author A-056586 on 01/08/2011 - 09.21
That will be good - some of the client instructions are hard to understand.added by: author A-054683 on 01/08/2011 - 09.37
Textbroker continues to be the best site around. Will you be using the 2009 or the 2010 AP Stylebook?added by: author Steve Maur on 01/08/2011 - 09.40
Great idea! I would enjoy corresponding with other authors.added by: author A-052698 on 01/08/2011 - 09.51
I can't wait to use the new author rating system. When clients write their instructions asking for perfect grammar and in-depth research, it doesn't help that their instructions are difficult to read. With misspellings, bad grammar and instructions that do not make sense, it sometimes makes it difficult to follow directions. I have had this happen many times, resulting in articles sent back for revisions. I follow the instructions as written, then the client devices that those instructions were not what he or she meant. I am quite certain that other authors have had this happen as well. It really is not fair when they do this, so not maybe having an author rating system will help them learn as the client rating system helps us writers learn. Thank you so much for this!added by: author JCZ_torpey on 01/08/2011 - 10.11
Anything in the way of assisting an authors' growth and marketability is surely welcome. I look forward to taking some of these new features for a test drive!
added by: author A-055290 on 01/08/2011 - 10.16
I like the client instruction rating system, some of the instructions are all too vague. I think a forum will be a great addition to the community, and proofreaders will be a great bonus. I would like to see more descriptive reviews of our work, it would be very helpful in improving in the future.added by: author Romalias on 01/08/2011 - 10.28
Cool additions, TB!
Regarding the order instructions ratings, will the option be open to only the author who accepts the assignment? I know the answer is probably affirmative, but many authors pass on some because of the...strenuous...keyword density required. How will those clients know they're making it very difficult for a writer to create not only good content but also quality writing when they have 200-word maximum and a keyword density of 26 exact words in total that must be mentioned 3-4 times? ...Just a thought.
Can you put links to the blog within the authors' area as well?
(And I laughed at those letters. Can't wait to read what's posted here.)added by: author A-035348 on 01/08/2011 - 10.43
An author forum is brilliant! Can't wait to have a place to bounce off ideas and ask questions. Giving clients feedback on instructions is also fantastic. Great changes!added by: author Rosa Lyn on 01/08/2011 - 11.31
Wonderful ideas. Whatever improves my writing will be a benefit to my clients. I think the forum is a really good idea, too. Thanks!added by: author Bobbi on 01/08/2011 - 01.00
These are all exciting additions for the new year! I am so thrilled to have found Textbroker. Your team goes above and beyond in efforts to help authors succeed and to keep clients satisfied.
Thanks So Much!
Oliveadded by: author Olive on 01/08/2011 - 01.03
Looking forward to the new forums. I do hope the clients will be able to share as well. Thank you for the information.added by: author A-021351 on 01/08/2011 - 01.44
I read the submissions regarding punctuation, and I was in stitches! They were hilarious! Thanks for making my morning. :Dadded by: author A-037194 on 01/08/2011 - 02.39
I really like the idea of a forum so that we can meet and communicate with other writers. I'm also looking forwarding to the proofreading opportunity. How do we apply for this?added by: author SandyJames on 01/08/2011 - 02.51
Dear Textbroker:
Thanks for the recent award.
You always get me fired up.
Yours.
Supercrone
Dear Textbroker.
Thanks for the recent award. You always get me fired.
Up yours.
Supercroneadded by: author Supercrone on 01/08/2011 - 04.04
Being able to rate a client is going to be great. Sometimes the requests are very vague. A forum will also be nice!added by: author Mr. Icarus on 01/08/2011 - 04.18
Sounds like some really cool changes coming. I look forward to meeting others and to the chance of being able to edit.added by: author A-049457 on 01/08/2011 - 05.33
Dear Sirs:
I would like to thank you for the courtesies extended to me during your recent interview. With my wife in the hospital, I worried that I was not showing my best, but your understanding of my situation was both apparent and appreciated. I felt the interview went well. Beyond the usual “thanks” I would also like to reiterate some of the issues we discussed. My understanding is that your Ass. Director requires some corrective actions in your accounting department. I am a professional Accountant and I believe I could perform this work.
Thank you again for the interview, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Dear Sirs:
I would like to thank you for the courtesies extended to me during your recent interview With my wife. in the hospital, I worried that I was not showing my best but. your understanding of my situation was both apparent and appreciated, I felt. the interview went well Beyond the usual. “thanks.” I would also like to reiterate some of the issues. we discussed My understanding. is that your Ass. Director requires some corrective actions. in your accounting department, I am a professional Accountant. and I believe I could perform this work.
Thank you again for the interview, and I hope to hear from you soon.
added by: author Stormgod7 on 01/08/2011 - 06.43
I like all the new ideas and especially the chance to participate in the proof reading.
Keep me posted. Thanks Textbroker. You rate!added by: author Suzie Q on 01/08/2011 - 06.58
Dear Mr. Thompson,
I wanted to write a quick note to thank you for meeting with me on Thursday. I felt very good about this possibility after talking with you in my interview. It was crazy how perfect I would be for this position. Now I am certain that I do not want a job with anyone else. I would be happy to take the position.
However, I have to be honest: I do not want to work for you because I want to work for a great organization with solid pay and opportunities for advancement. I looked everywhere else—nothing compared to the leadership and management you offer for this position though! Working as a garbage man would be ideal for some, but certainly not for me. This is truly a great job opportunity.
Once again, thank you so much for the interview.
Autumn
Dear Mr. Thompson,
I wanted to write a quick note to “thank” you for meeting with me. On Thursday, I felt very good about this possibility. After talking with you in my interview? It was….crazy. How perfect I would be for this position! Now I am certain that I do not want a job.
With anyone else, I would be happy to take the position. However, I have to be honest: I do not want to work for you. Because I want to work for a great organization with solid pay and opportunities for advancement, I looked everywhere else. Nothing! Compared to the leadership and management you offer for this position, though, working as a garbage man would be ideal. For some, but certainly not for me, this is truly a great job opportunity.
Once again, “thank you.” So much for the interview!
Autumn
added by: author AutumnB on 01/08/2011 - 07.21
I appreciate the interview on Tuesday and can't thank you enough. Hopefully, I will have very good news to tell my friends and family when I hear back from you about the position. I think I will be excellent and will prove it to you when I am hired.
I am planning on making good my promises to work the hardest and the best that I can for your company. It will be a new beginning for a great new relationship ending with success for all. Best wishes and I look forward to being employed again. By the way, your company is the greatest and I will promise to be your best asset.
I appreciate the interview. On Tuesday I can't thank you enough. Hopefully, I will have very good news to tell my friends and family if I hear from you about the position. I think I will be excellent and will prove it. When am I hired?
I am planning to make good my promises on working the hardest and the best. I can. For your company, it will be a new beginning for a great new relationship ending. With success for all, best wishes and I look forward to that. By the way, your company is the greatest and I promise to be the best ass.
Sincerely, and don't call me I'll be in touch soon.
added by: author Suzie Q on 01/08/2011 - 07.22
Supercrone..."OMG!" I am seriously cracking up here! WELL DONE!
added by: author A-035348 on 01/08/2011 - 07.56
Authors sforsyth and Stormgod7 offer very interesting instances of misused punctuation.added by: author Pat Anthny on 01/08/2011 - 10.59
Wow! SUPER excited about the rating for client instructions. I don't take a lot of jobs because the instructions are unclear and I've literally had zero responses from any question e-mails I've sent when I have accepted an assignment. When you're only give 24 hours to write the article and you can't get a response from the client you just write on a wing and a prayer or cancel the process. Neither of which are great options.added by: author A-060150 on 01/08/2011 - 11.26
Dear Mom,
I wanted to thank you for the lovely grapes. Can't you get them where you live? Why don't you call me more often?
Love,
Julie
Dear Mom,
I wanted to thank you. For the lovely grapes, can't you get them? Where you live, why don't you? Call me more often.
Love,
Julieadded by: author Sunflower on 01/08/2011 - 11.44
A rating system for clients would be a very useful improvement, indeed! I have not written much for Textbroker because of the paucity of reasonable-sounding assignments about which I am qualified to write.
In addition to strict demands for number of keywords, length of article and as other have pointed out, borderline illegal content. One request I saw gave a specific website in its instructions, and the client wanted it copied into 4 or 5 different articles, asking only to have the words re-arranged; in other words, they were requesting plagiarism!
I would also like to note that there have been several instances of requests for very low-paying articles that would require a good deal of research--they were not worth the work that would be required--besides that, many of these same low-paying/high research assignments had too short a deadline, such as only 1 day. I'm sorry, but if I'm going to put in half a day doing research and then writing the article for a finicky client, it's not going to be worth my time if all they are offering is $1.50 or $2.00.
In point of fact, there are too many articles at that end of the pay spectrum. My very first article paid almost $10. I'm looking for more assignments at that pay scale.
Thank you.
added by: author TenLizzie on 01/09/2011 - 03.49
Adding the client instruction rating will be a welcome feature. Many times I have had clients ask for revisions that were not part of the original instructions. I have also had clients assume that the deadline is just one day when some of them have been 2-3. I feel that I need to work like a madwoman to finish it up, therefore possibly sacrificing quality.added by: author Tammy Sue on 01/09/2011 - 04.48
TenLizzie, rewriting content into a unique article is not plagiarism. What do you think you're doing when you research a client's topic, find information, and write something based on what you read? Are you plagiarizing? You're not if what you write is YOUR article. Plagiarism is using someone else's and calling it your own.
As far as there being "too many articles at that end of the pay spectrum," do you know for what that content is most often used? Search Engine Optimization.
Websites gain higher SEO with relevant content that's new--new, relevant content. Clients often use the Level-Two articles for quick changes to website content. They use one or two 2-star articles for a few days then the change or add more 2-star articles, strictly with increased exposure to search engines, which is why there's often a high keyword density required in them.
Three-, four-, and five-star articles are often used for other reasons, but they are rarely used in a revolving door web scenario.
There have been times when those "too many at that end of pay spectrum" that have driven this site. Please don't discount their importance, simply because they don't pay what it seems you only accept.
And if bragging rights on article pay is on the table, perhaps TB will include a "who cares but me what I earn per article" section on the authors' forum. Gee, that'd be valuable, don't you think?
Quite awed and humbled, I'm sure,
A-035348
P.S. "In point of fact" is redundant. And correct grammar is "Neither ... is ..." not "Neither ... are ...." Match subject and verb, not modifiers.
Proofreading services were free of charge. ;)added by: author A-035348 on 01/09/2011 - 04.57
Dearest Aunt Lucretia,
Thank you so much for the wonderful tea set. It was very beautiful and unique.
I had heard that you bought it from a quaint little store in London. Your thoughtfulness is always appreciated, especially when the gift is one that suits my nature. I shall use this new tea set upon your next visit.
With love always,
Jessicaadded by: author Jessica 1 on 01/09/2011 - 08.27
What wonderful changes to return to after a long vacation!added by: author Ysoria on 01/10/2011 - 03.53
Hello all:
First, I am loving the new changes. Textbroker continues to be the place I love to write.
Second, it would be wonderful to pair up with the A- 035348. S/he could catch the errors I missed, as I caught different errors than were pointed out.
(Please don't feel like I am trying to pick on you, TenLizzie. We all make mistakes from time to time.)
Third, how long do we have to submit our letter for Fun With Punctuation?
Have a great evening, everyone. :)added by: author A-046896 on 01/10/2011 - 11.06
lol, A046896. I'd cringe to think of what an albacore I'd be, but I appreciate the thought.
TB, great, great job with the author's area additions! The forum's pretty active already (blush...hiding head here), and lots of good things going on there.
And thanks for the blog link. I slipped in here the easy way now! [pumps fist up and down] Yesssss! Good job!
Clients, I'd love to read here the punctuation letters you could come up with. C'mon... You can do it! ;)added by: author A-035348 on 01/11/2011 - 08.39
Thank you, Textbroker, for all you do!!
Happy New Year!
May it be one of great health, peace, safety and prosperity for all!
Maryanneadded by: author Maryanne on 01/12/2011 - 10.21
TB, just a comment on the proofreading test.....
Wow. I thought I was a competent writer, and had been wondering if I should ask for a review to raise my rating from a 4 to a 5. I have about 100 submissions under my belt and am usually rated as Excellent when clients bother to rate. I wanted to know more about proofreading pay, so I took the test.
EEEEK! 70 percent? Kind of humbling. Correcting text written in phrasing I would probably not use is a lot more difficult than I had anticipated. I guess I won't be asking for a review of my status anytime soon!added by: author Stormgod7 on 01/12/2011 - 11.42
Dear LaRee,
It might seem weird and uncommon to receive this from someone who was just a contract worker for you but thank you. Thank you for helping me learn, helping me to take a step in the right direction with my career. You knew I was looking for work and you came to the rescue. I thought my degree was not worth a dime but you taught me more in the past few months with video editing than I learned while at KSL. I hope that you will think of me next time a project arises.
Sincerely,
Alex Jenkins
Dear LaRee,
As uncanny as this may seem, I wanted to take the time to thank you and Rhonda for all the opportunity given these past few months. Working on the set and helping in post-production has finally given me the edge I need. I can now apply for jobs with some real work experience and for that I thank you. I know that bringing a guy into a female work environment interrupted the status quo for you (although I am glad it smelled like a girl and not a guys apartment) but thank you and I hope that when other projects appear in the future, you will remember me.
Thank you,
Alex Jenkinsadded by: author A-044496 on 01/12/2011 - 02.51
@Steve Maur: We tried to steer clear of rules that were specific to 2009 or 2010. When in doubt, use the most current version.
@A-046896: Authors will have until the 28th to submit letters. Please make sure to include two versions in your submissions.
@Everyone: We're happy to see so much positive feedback about the new features! We do read all of your suggestions, so please use the forums to voice any concerns, criticisms or compliments.added by: Textbroker on 01/14/2011 - 06.29
The new features sound great! I've always thought it would be great to have forums for Textbroker authors to be able to communicate with each other. I also think the ratings system sounds like a good idea to help both clients and authors. The proofreading work sounds exciting, but I know I'm not quite there yet. I still have to work on my own grammar and punctuation.added by: author S. Patrick on 01/14/2011 - 08.14
The opportunity to proof read is so wonderful. However, I just took the test and missed three. Phoo.... I will attribute this to being very tired after working all day and shopping for a new monitor for my computer. I picked one out and took it home and installed it myself. Then sat down and tried the proof reading test. Okay! I will rest up and re do in three months.added by: author Suzie Q on 01/15/2011 - 09.15
Stormgod7,
Same here - 70% score. I thought my answers were correct and if I took the test again, I couldn't change those answers without feeling that they're completely wrong. Honestly, like you said, a lot of the phrasing of AP style is awkward, which makes choosing the correct answer(s) difficult. It doesn't mean you aren't an excellent writer. You are being judged on a particular style that is specifically used in journalism, but it isn't a reflection on your writing in general. In my opinion, you should still ask for a review.added by: author LetterBug on 01/18/2011 - 11.04
I just received an 80% on the proofreading test:(:( It's time for me to invest in the AP manual, do some serious reading and pass in three months. As one who wrote in MLA style throughout school, deleting the serial comma is difficult, but I will get used to it.added by: author A-013693 on 01/18/2011 - 04.10
Dear God,
Before I start you pretty much aware of what I am already to say. I would like to thank you for all the blessings I have received in life. You know it's funny so many of us take for granted even the tiniest of things, and we don't really realize what we have until we no longer have it, and by then it's to late.
We see people in other countries around the world barely making it, from poverty to violence and crime. People getting old and catching horrible illnesses. What is it that makes these people go on? Well, it is HOPE. We are aware that you do not cause these problems that we face everyday, who are we to point the blame. I would like to thank you for everything really, because without you there is no us.
Sincerely,
Erikaadded by: author Ebony5 on 01/24/2011 - 11.26
To the people,
To tell you the truth, 10 years ago I don't think I would have told you I would be standing here right now. I accept this reward with full gratitude. When I look back and see what I have had to overcome in my past to get to where I'm standing today I can tell you that life ain't been no crystal stairs. Granted we all have our own problems that comes with life, but when you exceed over them you inspire. Who do you inspire? The people. The people are watching and let react either in a good way or a negative way to what they observe. With all my might I want to thank you for this special opportunity.
I know that I will walk away from this stage today and be made a new women. To know that you can help and you do have a say, says it all. So, all of you watching take this as a living example that it is possible to achieve the impossible. I'm living proof.
Thank-you.
added by: author Ebony5 on 01/24/2011 - 11.35
Dear Mr. Whitter
Mr. Whitter I sent in an application and my resume for a team member position at your company. Since then I have not heard from the company. I am strongly convinced that I have the abilities and the qualifications to do what needs to be done, on time without delays. I will be resending my application and resume to you. Below I will leave you my e-mail and phone and I look forward to hearing from you.
(555)555-5555
mr,mack0009@yahoo.com
Thank-you for you time.added by: author Ebony5 on 01/24/2011 - 11.46
My name is Maggy, and I would like to make a suggestion for your terms of service. I recently purchased a sandwich, a shake, and a small fry from your restaurant. While I was ordering a few of your employees were fooling around and not taking their job serious.
Waiting in line for over 20 minutes to receive your food, while I am the only in line, is completely susceptible, and I will not tolerate it. Later on the evening I got the worse stomach pains I have ever had, and I am strongly convinced that it had to do with your so called employees. You do something about this fast or I'm going to do something...soon.
Thank-you for your time.
added by: author Ebony5 on 01/24/2011 - 11.56
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