As you’ve probably figured out if you read these on a regular basis, one of my pet peeves is homonyms. This is one way to separate the amateur writers from the pros. It’s your job to know the difference between they’re, there, and their; your, you’re, and yore; flare and flair; bare and bear; alter and altar; hanger and hangar, just to name a few.

Words are a writer’s tools of the trade. Your vocabulary should be broad and expanding all the time. The other day I was in a group setting where I threw out what to me was a simple word, counter-intuitive. I was a bit surprised when someone was impressed. I just shrugged and said as a writer it was my job to know the right word for a given situation.

If you’re dyslexic, I’m sure this is a considerable challenge. I don’t know how I keep them separated. I do know that sometimes when I’m writing my first draft that I get the wrong word, but I definitely keep an eye out when I start editing. Don’t ever underestimate how smart and/or observant your readers might be. Messing such things up can often be all the justification an astute reader needs to give you a poor review.