Kuroshitsuji Writing Guide:

Chapter 9:

Spelling and Grammar:

One of the things that can spoil a decent plot is spelling mistakes. It's always disappointing to find what sounds like a good story only to discover that the author gets 'your' and 'you're' confused or thinks that 'thru' is correct.

There are also typos which are not intentional and are the result of not checking your work through properly.

Even the most popular authors on Wattpad make the occasional typo or grammar mistake. That is, if their work has not been professionally edited. The best thing that can be done is to minimise the frequency of typos.

Advice for typos:

· Never press the publish button straight after finishing a chapter. Hot off the press content will always be riddled with errors, spelling and otherwise.

· I would suggest using word or an equivalent programme with a spell checker to write the chapter and then copy it into Wattpad. This ensures that if your internet or Wattpad crashes, the chapter will be saved and it will also check your spelling and grammar for you. The document on Wattpad will not check your spelling and grammar. Grammarly is also an option.

· Read through the chapter a minimum of two times before publishing it. You won't catch everything the first time because you know what you want everything to say. If you have the time, take a break and come back to check the chapter again so you read it with fresh eyes.

· If you don't have time you can change the font or convert it to a PDF so you can view it in a different format. This makes it easier to pick out spelling mistakes.

· If you can, read the chapter aloud. If you have a typo or have used the wrong form of word this will make it easier to find.

· Get someone else to read it. This may not be possible, but it is a good way because the person reading it won't see the chapter in the same way as you and will be more impartial than you are.

Basic grammar rules that seem to escape fanfiction writers:

· 'Your' and 'you're' cannot be used interchangeably. 'You're' is a contraction of 'you are'. Your is used to signify possession.

Example: "You're mine," said Sebastian in a sexy voice.

"I'm not your possession," Ciel snapped.

· 'They're', 'their' and 'there' do not have the same meaning. 'They're' is a contraction of 'they are'. 'Their' is used as a possessive. 'There' implies a place or something that exists.

Example: "They're rather strange," Ciel commented.

"The satanic dog is undoubtedly theirs," Sebastian sighed.

"Yes, but it's over there," Ciel pointed.

· 'Its' and 'it's' are not the same thing. 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is' and 'its' is a possessive.

Example: "It's a good cake," Ciel agreed.

"That cake is missing its icing," Sebastian observed.

Other basics:

· Every sentence should start with a capital letter and end with a full stop/period.

· Commas and colons can be used to add variance to your writing instead of having short sentences and fragments.

· Commas can also be overused.

· When writing speech, a new speaker should always go on a different line.

· Please use paragraphs. I cannot stress this enough.

· 'I' should always be capitalised unless it's not the first letter of a word that starts a sentence.

If you can master perfect spelling and grammar you are getting close to a decent story. It also makes it easier for people reading your story that don't have a full grasp of English. I can deduce what bad spelling and grammar is supposed to say, but for someone whose first language isn't English it must be difficult.

What perfect spelling and grammar cannot disguise is poor characterisation and terrible plot. They can be a positive point of your story instead. Checking your writing for errors before posting is a very important part of the writing process that should not be skipped. Knowing basic grammar and spelling rules is also an essential part of writing.

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A/N: I will confess here when I first started writing fanfiction when I was 13, my chapters were around 200 words long and the characters weren't quite right. Anyone that gave me constructive criticism admitted that my spelling and grammar were surprisingly perfect for someone with such a poor storyline. That's why you should put an effort in. You should also do it so readers can actually understand your story.