I belong to many lists, groups and boards. Lately, I’ve begun to notice much grousing about the number of errors in books–usually aimed at indie and small press books. Having judged enough contests from both large (NY), small and indie publishers, I can tell you I’ve found errors everywhere. Yes, some are grossly unprofessional, and others are relatively minor. I even find them in my own voracious reading habits, when I’ve trained myself not to look but to enjoy.
I have yet to read a book by any publisher that didn’t contain any errors. Heck, I’ve even heard about a copy of the Bible that has mistakes.
Do the errors stop me from reading a book. Usually not, even when they’re egregious. I stop reading a story when the story-telling is bad. That’s the author’s fault, not the editor’s (although they share some of the blame).
And a bad story will stop me from following an author.
But not necessarily bad grammar. Case in point:
Several months ago, during a writing break, I discovered a new author and checked out her rather significant backlist. It was in reading these books that I tripped over an example of bad editing. The hero was hunting the villain using his spore. I stopped. Reread the line. Yep. Still a mistake. Then I giggled and went on reading. I was enjoying the story to much to stop. In fact, the same mistake repeated in 3 books in the series. These books are NY Times bestsellers and it is a very big NY Publisher. What was the editor so embarrassed the mistake when through the first time, that they couldn’t own up to the mistake so they kept repeating it or did they honestly not know the difference?
For your edification:
Spore: a walled, single- to many-celled, reproductive body of an organism, capable of giving rise to a new individual either directly or indirectly. (dictionary.com)
Spoor: a track or trail, especially that of a wild animal pursued as game. (dictionary.com)
Now as you can clearly see, the spoor was used in tracking, not reproduction and the last was the correct homonym, not the first. Most people probably don’t know or appreciate the difference. I happen to be a Biologist who’s worked as a Microbiologist. I’ve looked at spores, but I’ve never, ever hunted. So the mistake made me giggle.
It didn’t make me stop reading the author, dun them with bad reviews or malign their publisher by saying they were incompetent. Books are written and edited by people and having been through the process enough, I know that mistakes will always get through.
I don’t really care as long as the story entertains me.
That’s why I spend my time and money with a book.
Author Linda Andrews
Linda Andrews Tweets
Error: Please make sure the Twitter account is public.
Meta
-
Recent Posts
Archives
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
Categories