tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post6591397433947406267..comments2024-03-18T04:50:28.589-07:00Comments on Grace's Mosaic Moments: EDITING SCOLDGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-65725627869916545402013-12-16T16:02:42.636-08:002013-12-16T16:02:42.636-08:00I recently started reading — and almost immediatel...I recently started reading — and almost immediately stopped reading — a historical fiction that literally said in its long description that it was a new, improved version containing many corrections. After finding five errors in the first two pages, I sent it to the "done" category in my ereader. I guess it is possible the corrected version had not been uploaded, but if not, I hate to think what the first one was like.Jill Hugheyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18186583842911114283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-28584463545063189422013-12-15T13:24:25.247-08:002013-12-15T13:24:25.247-08:00I should mention that I tried to find the author&#...I should mention that I tried to find the author's e-mail addy so I could tell her privately that the book needed attention (as my friend told me). But I was unable to find any contact that wasn't public. One of the great blessings of Indie Pub is that it is so easy to upload a corrected version of your manuscript - something we all need to keep in mind. If someone spots egregious errors in your book, check it out, and if true, by all means fix it. Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-83812678773541602712013-12-15T08:59:55.611-08:002013-12-15T08:59:55.611-08:00This is an important topic, Grace. I've read b...This is an important topic, Grace. I've read books like that and been frustrated. Homophones are esp. confusing and we have so many in English. I've seen younger writers say "party hardy" instead of "party hearty" and "you've got another thing coming" instead of "think coming". But idioms do change over time, often losing the original meaning in the process. The language is changing, and sometimes not for the better, but there's no excuse for putting out a manuscript so full of mistakes that the reader gets confuse. Perhaps an unedited ms. was uploaded by mistake? Hard to say. Linda McLaughlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15291670592316021851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-21165386278356763582013-12-15T08:16:14.740-08:002013-12-15T08:16:14.740-08:00Diane, your remark about elementary school reminde...Diane, your remark about elementary school reminded me that my daughter likes me to keep my eye on my grandgirls' writing ability. This week, for the first time, I asked the second grader to write some sentences for me about a picture in a book. She asked for the spelling of just one word, slightly misspelled one other word. But every sentence was properly constructed, properly punctuated, and neatly printed. (Far better printing than I did at her age.) So, yes, let's set the standard high. There's no excuse for carelessness among adult authors who want us to pay to read their words.Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04040441084648426091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-18042185955997823612013-12-15T06:47:17.420-08:002013-12-15T06:47:17.420-08:00Totally agree with you. Those mistakes drive me nu...Totally agree with you. Those mistakes drive me nuts. The result is that we are pulled out of the story -- the last thing that the author would want to happen, I'm sure. I am a retired school librarian. We taught the kids (even in elementary school) that any writing that is intended to be read by others must be correct. Today's indie writers must embrace this concept and do whatever it takes to accomplish it.Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09492167846337718880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1447996151440578956.post-33331166770958784192013-12-15T03:14:54.872-08:002013-12-15T03:14:54.872-08:00I find lots of soundalike word mistakes in the wor...I find lots of soundalike word mistakes in the work of younger authors. I suspect it's because they don't read as much as we older folks did in the past. And yes, it makes me feel taken for granted as a reader when I find these.<br /><br />Thanks for the great post, Grace!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17784072981923359956noreply@blogger.com