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Updated almost 9 years ago,
Advice for newbies
You know, I really hate to have to start off a post with a disclaimer that I'm not trying to offend anyone, but I'm really not trying to offend anyone. However...
If you want to be taken seriously and treated like a professional, sound like one. I'm not talking about knowing the right lingo or using the right acronyms. You're new to an industry and field of specialization. Anyone who expects you to be able to speak our language immediately has impossible expectations. However, it should not be unreasonable to expect you to write complete thoughts, if not sentences, and do some basic spell checking.
I'm not saying you need to be an English professor. I'm not even saying your writing has to be grammatically correct, but please don't expect me to take you seriously, when I have to try to piece together and interpret what it is you're actually asking and/or trying to say. There are a lot of people who are not good at grammar and spelling. If you're not, use a program like MS Word. Type your questions and comments out in Word first. Use the Grammar and Spelling function. It will check what you've written and make suggestions for corrections.
As investors, it's highly likely you are going to wind up asking someone to invest real money in your and/or your deals. Why would someone think you are going to properly care for their investment, when you can't manage a reasonably simple written communication? Quite frankly, I wouldn't do it. Maybe others will, but I wouldn't. There are topics started in these forums that I won't respond to, because the poster's inability to communicate makes me feel like pouring myself out for them is a complete waste of my time. Is that harsh? Maybe. Probably. Regardless, it's how I feel, and I would guess I'm not the only one.
If you want to be viewed as a professional, you have to present yourself as one. If you want to be taken seriously, don't give people a reason to discount you. Credibility is a battle for newbies. Don't torpedo your own credibility.