Grammar important it is to have good.

I have, after much procrastination, started on a book. The writing of one, not the reading of one. With the reading I seem to be perpetually starting, working on and finishing a book. The writing...not so much. Still hoping to have the children's book published but that's a whole other story. This is an actual novel. Maybe. Could just as easily fall into the "never going to happen" category. I just want to try. No crime in that, right?

I started yesterday, and quickly discovered that spell-check and I have some serious differences of opinion. I'm happy to have spelling corrected, particularly as it works better for me if I can race through an idea without worrying about the spelling first time around.

The bone of contention has to do with correct grammar and the way people actually talk. Trying to write dialogue for characters who have perfect grammar is not working.. No one sounds believable, somehow. We just don't talk that way.

I remember reading a book once where each character did have perfect grammar. I don't even remember what the book was, I just remember something feeling off, somehow. The further into the book I got the more something bothered me. It wasn't until I got to three pages of nothing but dialogue - and an argument between characters at that! - that it hit me. There was no stuttering, no "uhms" or "ergs" or poorly constructed (or even incomplete!) sentences. No one argues that way. NO ONE.

I have tried to explain this to spell check. No agreement, but I warned him that if he didn't agree I'd just ignore his issues, so that's where it stands. Sentences everywhere with squiggly green lines under them because spell-check guy (yup, it's a guy) thinks I should fix them.