Spelling Evils

I've been thinking a lot about spelling this past week. I'm irritated when I read misspelled words, but I'm thoroughly humiliated when I misspell words and those words go off into the world for all to see and there is nothing I can do about it. So, since those words are already out there in the world, here are my thoughts. I make no apologies for the misspelling, however. The terrible deed is done.

When I'm writing, I get into a kind of zone. I don't think about the spelling, just getting those words to page.

there becomes their
they're becomes their
you're becomes your and so on.

I need to remember to hit the grammar button in Office Suite. It'll point out these "words often misspelled" and I can read them in context to make sure. Now, I know how to use these simple words. The misuse is ridiculous, but I do it time and time again and I can't fathom why. I hurry. I type before thinking. I know better. I can easily see the errors in other people's writings, but I'm blind to my own. I'm not illiterate. That's all I have so far.

When I'm in that zone, I don't bother to look words up. I just spell them phonetically, because I just can't stop now, so feces becomes fecis (I've never actually written that word in my life. I mean, shit is shit, no matter what way you look at it.) and tome (book or manuscript) becomes tomb (the place where all the bodies are buried) etc. I always intend to check "later", but nine times out of ten, I forget.

Need to train myself to watch this....maybe try to remember to stick brackets or question marks to the words I'm not sure of. Copy-edit more carefully, rather than rush it through.

I've kicked myself so many times this week and it hurt, bruised ego for life...well, for a little while. It's just spelling.

Hitting spell-check now.