Skip to main content

T is for Typos

Because, we all have them! I even have a book out, one that I published mind you,
and I'll still find a missing period, or misspelled word, and I cringe to think about all the people that have
read those mistakes! I'm a perfectionist, but not to the point that it had to be so perfect before I put the book out there. If that were the case, I never would've published. I had to let it go, typos and all, and then fix them, once the book was out--once I had many sets of eyes telling me what I missed. Some folks don't like that, but really, I don't mind it at all. I need the help.While I can edit for content, sometimes, I just CAN'T see the formatting, or grammatical or punctuation errors because I'm looking for so many different things.
Again, this is one of the negatives to self-publishing. And also a reason to hire an editor to fix those things
before you put something out there. And sometimes, even that isn't error-proof. I've read many a bestsellers,
with errors. So, it's a lesson learned, with nothing to lose, at this point. There are probably a half a dozen typos in this post as well. We're human, we make errors, and I'm all for doing one's best. Yet, though we need to be polished, sometimes, it doesn't happen perfectly ... and that's okay!

Labels:

Comments

  1. Sara HillApril 23, 2012 at 10:00 AM

    Yes, I agree, it's okay not to be perfect, but it's not okay NOT to edit and proofread.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Heather SpivaApril 23, 2012 at 10:21 AM

    I totally agree. I'm for doing your best!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lynn ProctorApril 23, 2012 at 10:36 AM

    on facebook, i belong to a high-school alumni page--there was this big argument about people using fb lingo and not spelling correctly etc.--i found it kinda amusing--as i think we all recognize that particular media is a free space--but if someone is trying to be a serious writer, then of course they need to know the correct way--unless their characters talk incorrectly--great post!

    ReplyDelete
  4. ilimaApril 23, 2012 at 12:29 PM

    Great t-word. I think we should do our best to avoid them, but things will slip past the finest editors and we need to realize it's okay. We'll live. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Katy UppermanApril 23, 2012 at 4:54 PM

    Typos in my own work drive me batty! If I randomly notice one in an old blog post, even, I'll go back and fix it. Perfectionists unite!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Editor and Publisher Shelly BurkeApril 23, 2012 at 6:45 PM

    Great blog! I'm a fanatical proofreader but still find typos in the books I self-published too. I also publish a monthly newspaper and almost every month find a tiny mistake (ones no one else has ever mentioned...) Here's how I decide when I'm done editing a book or an article: when I edit back to the original version I know it's time to quit!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Krista McLaughlinApril 23, 2012 at 7:42 PM

    Typos are terrible; they drive me bonkers! You think you've got them all and then six more pop-up. I've thought about hiring an editor before I self-publish, but that is expensive and I can't afford it right now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Heather SpivaApril 23, 2012 at 7:55 PM

      Me too! I'm in agreement with you on your entire reply.:)

      Delete
  8. GroverApril 24, 2012 at 1:15 AM

    Typos are annoying little buggers, aren't they? I'm convinced they hide until you've clicked 'publish' and then suddenly jump out at you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousApril 24, 2012 at 11:59 AM

    Interesting letter T post.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Patricia JLApril 29, 2012 at 2:24 PM

    Typos slip through for anyone. I read a traditionally published book the other day that said crow instead of crowd. In my own book that I self published, I had a few minor typos. Think one 'to' and 'it' was switched. Most typos I've seen after something has been published have been minor ones like that. Words are spelled correctly or it's such a minor word that what I think happened was the editor or author's mind filled in the word.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Characters That Work

I’ve heard countless times that agents, when looking for the next great manuscript and readers, looking for the next great read, want compelling characters. But, what does this mean? Compelling? And why have I never thought of characters as compelling when I can’t put the book down? Sure, these characters are amazing, and sometimes I want to be in the middle of the stories as if they were my own experiences. But why? Compelling characters make me --force me-- to be in love with them as they find their way through trials or charge fearlessly down hidden hallways and dark forests. This makes for wonderful literature, and for fascinated readers. But how do we do this? How do authors create compelling characters -- ones that not only we want to read but others too -- and convince our readers that they should care about them? Here’s a tiny list by which I try to strive: Make them human: This is a given. And most writers would tell you this is. Give your character flaws that lots o
32 comments
Read more

Increasing Your Vocabulary │ Overused Words

My husband and I have this running joke that if we played a drinking game for the first -- and only the first-- five minutes of any news segment, anywhere in America, we'd be under the table in two. Why? Because this drinking game is based on the repeated use of the word "impact." It's okay if you can hate me now. Because after this post, you will notice this word EVERYWHERE and how overused it is. I get it. The word is impactful. It makes a point. Pulls a punch. But ... it's beyond this, my friends. It's overwhelmingly beyond this now. I also understand that each decade has it's colloquial and trendy words. Totally understand that. I can dig that, yo. But, there's an all-out assault on this word. And most of the time, it's used incorrectly. Do you know what the word impact means? Per Merriam-Webster, it means 1.   a.: to fix firmly by or as if my packing or wedging   b.: to press together 2.   a.: to have a direct effect or i
1 comment
Read more

Make a List │ Getting Things Done

Like many of you, I am a list-maker. I find them to be one of the most rewarding things I can do in my little life. Well, that and drinking coffee and wearing vintage. But, I digress. List-making really only consists of three things: paper, a pen, and your brain. While there are myriad articles and books on tidying up and minimal living (both of which I fully embrace), living a simple and minimal life can also start just by making a list. So, why should you write a list? Three reasons: it's simple, it's in front of you, and anyone can be master of their world with one. Yes, dare I say master of your universe. Pretty amazing, right? That little list holds your sanity, order and clarity. And those are all we really need. Check out this list I wrote the other day: I listed the errands I had to run (go to post office, then to Salvation Army and Goodwill to find my vintage to sell). I listed the work I had to do (list two items items for sale on my vintage Etsy site,
1 comment
Read more