Confessions of an Anti-Grammar Nazi: How I Accidentally Became a Writer
The Year Everything Fell Apart (and Somehow Fell Into Place)
The year was 2009: Wellington, New Zealand. I was working as an EA when I got pulled into a meeting and told: “We like you, but we don’t think we’ll be able to pay you next month.” Not exactly the kind of news you want to hear when rent is due and the GFC is tearing through the job market.
Recognising the grim landscape, I applied for anything and everything. I landed on a reception role. Yes, it was a step back, but I knew I could do it with my eyes closed—and the company, a finance firm, was big enough to survive.
They hesitated to hire me, worried I’d get bored. When my to-be manager asked if I’d leave, I swore all I wanted was stability. Which was true… but I had a secret game plan.
The Receptionist Who Started Writing Out of Boredom
Reception desks are quiet, and flicking through magazines wasn’t my style. After indulging my stationery obsession (anyone else guard fine-tipped pens like gold?), and perfecting the art of reception (coffee, tea, meeting-room feng shui), I reached the drumming-fingers stage.
That’s when the idea, long simmering at the back of my mind, came forward.
With a spectacular view of the harbour and mountains, I often watched storms roll in. One day, staring at a thunderstorm (LOVE a good thunderstorm), a scene struck me: four women battling alien creatures as lightning split the sky.
Instead of letting this daydream (like the thousands before it) run on the movie reel in my head and vanish, I began crafting it—typing it out.
It was one way to look busy.
To my surprise, I loved it! In fact, I found it damn hard to put down.
Suddenly this daydream was absorbing all my time. The more I wrote, the more I wanted to write. It was so freeing to know it was all mine, nobody would be grading it (*ROTFL* reviews are WAY harsher than teachers! As I would find out later), and my days (nights and everything in between) were filled with a glorious world of my creating.
I found myself joining writing blogs. This in turn got me thinking about maybe… perhaps… publishing? I tentatively (while making every mistake a newbie can make) reached out to publishing houses and agents.
As I was nearing the “halfway point” of my first WIP, this thing called Amazon Kindle started making waves.
I read about indie publishing and how you could keep your rights. That sounded way better than handing my baby over. So, I ignored a couple of interested publishing house replies (please don’t scream at me) and jumped into indie waters.
As I did more research (indie is NOT easy. But it is yours!), I discovered I was in the process of writing a trilogy. Not a single book. And the insanity of self-publishing began!
The Joy (and Horror) of Hitting Publish
Getting the first book live was exhilarating—and terrifying.
Readers actually liked it.
Like, really liked it.
Some readers, though? They hated it.
They wrote scathing reviews about my atrocious grammar and nitpicked every comma. At the time, it felt devastating. But here’s the thing—those reviews didn’t stop readers from showing up.
In fact, those “atrocious” grammar skills:
- Helped me build a readership.
- Paid me enough royalties to put a deposit down on a house I never thought I’d own.
- Brought readers back for book two… then book three… then demanding book four (which wasn’t even on the cards!).
From Receptionist to Publishing Manager
Then life did a plot twist. I applied for a new role at my company—Publishing Manager. Suddenly, the receptionist-turned-writer was now running publishing ops.
Even better? The role paid for me to study the copyediting and grammar courses I’d once only dreamed about. (Shout-out to Writers College—you guys rock!)
The Anti-Grammar Nazi Awakens
Here’s the twist ending: after all the courses, the certificates, the deep dive into grammar and editing… I didn’t become a grammar tyrant. Quite the opposite.
I softened.
I felt for my earlier self.
And I felt for every writer who gets shredded in reviews for imperfect grammar, when the truth is: they wrote a damn good story.
Because that’s what matters.
What I Wish Every New Writer Knew
Being an indie author is both awesome and terrifying. Everything’s on you. But here’s what I want you to hear:
- Don’t let grammar fears stop you.
- Don’t wait for “perfect” (it doesn’t exist).
- Learn, grow, polish—but don’t freeze.
The truth? Readers will forgive imperfect grammar for a story that makes them feel something. And you can always go back and rewrite (case in point: I’m about to re-release my first trilogy and follow-up book, finally giving them the copyedit I once dreamed of).
So, to the grammar nazis? Thank them kindly for the unsolicited copyedit, and remind yourself: readers buy stories, not semicolons.
Closing Note
If a bored receptionist in Wellington could scribble her way into a writing career, a house deposit, and eventually a Publishing Manager’s office—you can, too.
Start where you are. Write messy. Write brave. You can always edit later.
FAQ: Writing With Imperfect Grammar
• Q: Can I be a writer if my grammar isn’t perfect?
A: Yes! You don’t need flawless grammar to be a writer. Readers connect first with story—the emotions, characters, and worlds you create. Grammar can always be polished later.
• Q: Do publishers reject books with bad grammar?
A: Traditional publishers expect clean manuscripts, but many successful indie authors started with rough drafts and learned over time. What matters most is delivering a strong, compelling story.
• Q: How can I improve my grammar as a writer?
A: Start by writing regularly, then edit later. Use grammar tools, study copyediting basics, or work with an editor. But don’t wait to be “perfect” before publishing—you’ll learn as you go.
• Q: What’s more important: grammar or storytelling?
A: Storytelling wins every time. A technically perfect book with no heart won’t hook readers. But an imperfectly written story with emotional power will keep them turning pages.
