Why Writing Mistakenly Makes You a Better Writer
Leave something out
When you write a blog article or post an update on social media, you need to make sure you’ve got all the facts right. Or is it? Sometimes it can be useful to allow a mistake to creep in.
I’ve said it here before. I get more responses to my blog articles that contain errors. An incorrect reference, an incorrect gender word, or — the holy grail of language errors — a d/t error, and the respondents will make themselves heard.
Especially on copywriters’ blogs, they take satanic pleasure in pointing out terrible spelling or grammar mistakes.
Especially if the post itself is about language, of course, but you can also count on responses to other topics, if readers notice that you’re making mistakes when you write. And this is precisely a useful tactic for promoting interaction!
Make a mistake with dates
Post a message on Facebook on March 6th congratulating women on International Women’s Day. However, Women’s Day is only on March 8th. You’ll be reminded of this (not so) gently, but then you can reply laconically that “every day should be Women’s Day”.
Correcting a previous mistake can also require extra attention.
Alberto Angela did this, for example, with his book on Pompeii, in which he explains why the eruption did not occur on August 24, 79 AD, but on October 24, 79 AD.
An intentional error in a calculation
Another classic.
If you’re going to calculate something for your readers (for example, how many days before Christmas or how much gross salary you have left), you can count on the fact that there will be readers who take part in the calculations.
If it’s not right, they’ll think: now I’ve done it. You can always respond with: I wanted to see if you were paying attention.
Intentional spelling or grammar mistakes
It often happens that a ‘linguistic guru’ is sought after in vacancies. To show your knowledge as a potential candidate, you can look for the language error in the vacancy.
Confusing people or historical events
Make a mistake in the name of a person from history or confuse historical events. Now you have to be careful because you’re treading on thin ice with this, but you can be sure that you’ll get reactions.
Leave something out
A proven tactic: don’t tell the whole story, but leave something out. This happens every day in the many examples of framing we receive. If the omission in your story is obvious enough, readers won’t miss it.
Taking a firm stand
Of course, taking a stand is not a mistake, but in our polarized climate, it is often cause for backlash.
Especially when it comes to controversial topics. Every columnist can attest to this. One tip would certainly be to write a little more clearly about what you want!
Copywriting
Of course, copywriting also sometimes involves making intentional mistakes. So that the text stands out more or evokes a response.
Sometimes the copywriter makes a linguistic joke at the expense of grammar. Or a deliberate mistake that communicates the message better. All of this must be possible for a higher purpose. After all, the letter has to sell something.
You can also make mistakes in fiction
In fiction writing, making mistakes certainly seems “not done”. Don’t you always have to make sure that what you write is correct?
However, there are also reasons to make intentional mistakes when writing novels. The writer Chuck Palahniuk talks about giving your audience a “win to make them feel smarter”.
Not sloppy writing, but intelligent writing
The following applies to all these tips: of course, it’s not a license to deliberately spread misinformation or to become sloppy in your writing.
But with a strategically placed mistake, you can provoke reactions or arouse feelings in your audience. Especially on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X, you’ll have much less reach without comments. So it seems like a smart strategy.
As counter-intuitive as it may seem, making mistakes can work in your favor. In creative writing, flawed characters make your readers sympathize with them. The reader feels good about themselves and gets more involved in the story.
And this works in real life too. Instead of demonstrating your own superiority, it’s often more useful to make other people feel superior. If you look stupid in front of others, you’re giving your audience a victory. But he who laughs last…
Of course, you have to dare to do that… That’s why I’d like to hear from you now. Have you ever made a deliberate mistake in your social posts, blog articles, or other texts?
