Lord to I have to agree on this. I can start reading something with a wonderful premise and have it ruined quickly by shoddy editing or a poor writing style. In my opinion there are some very famous writers who churn out wonderful stories but whose style of writing is something I just can't deal with. In those cases, I actually prefer their work to be translated into some other type of medium, like a play or a movie.
In the case of online, amateur writers I can overlook some serious SPaG issues simply because they are in fact amateurs. I find it unforgivable in professionally published work. Continuity is another pet peeve of mine. It's your own story I shouldn't be able to remember the details better than you can! Now back to amateur writers. I will only put up with those grammar and style issues if they strive to improve over time. Some do, some don't. Those who do, I often stick with their works because they know how to tell a story and are just working on improving their grasp of the mechanics of writing. Those who never improve, I consider too lazy to bother and so I drop them as soon as it becomes apparent that they have no interest in getting better. If you can't be invested in your own work, why should I be? (On this note, I have a friend who has the most wonderful story telling ability but an atrocious grasp of SPaG. I've been working with him now for several months on improving and the process is slow but it is working because he wants it to.)
Now to the issue of professional articles. I am by profession, a psychiatric RN working toward the certification to become a Nurse Legal Consultant. Not only would I not trust a medical professional who can't be bothered to have an article checked over by someone before publication but if said professional's records ever come before a jury, they are going to be judged quite harshly and quite negatively for these shortcomings. They could, in real time, be the most brilliant practitioner out there but they will come off as incompetent if their professional records are sloppy, incoherent and riddled with SPaG errors.
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In the case of online, amateur writers I can overlook some serious SPaG issues simply because they are in fact amateurs. I find it unforgivable in professionally published work. Continuity is another pet peeve of mine. It's your own story I shouldn't be able to remember the details better than you can! Now back to amateur writers. I will only put up with those grammar and style issues if they strive to improve over time. Some do, some don't. Those who do, I often stick with their works because they know how to tell a story and are just working on improving their grasp of the mechanics of writing. Those who never improve, I consider too lazy to bother and so I drop them as soon as it becomes apparent that they have no interest in getting better. If you can't be invested in your own work, why should I be? (On this note, I have a friend who has the most wonderful story telling ability but an atrocious grasp of SPaG. I've been working with him now for several months on improving and the process is slow but it is working because he wants it to.)
Now to the issue of professional articles. I am by profession, a psychiatric RN working toward the certification to become a Nurse Legal Consultant. Not only would I not trust a medical professional who can't be bothered to have an article checked over by someone before publication but if said professional's records ever come before a jury, they are going to be judged quite harshly and quite negatively for these shortcomings. They could, in real time, be the most brilliant practitioner out there but they will come off as incompetent if their professional records are sloppy, incoherent and riddled with SPaG errors.