A Words On Typos

No one likes to read a book or an article with typographical errors. They're the pieces of sharp rock you snag yourself on when you're floating serenely down a river of words. As the art of copyediting has entered its twilight, I've read hundreds of books, and thousands of news articles, all of which have contained at least a few small (and even a few big) errors. I've written for independent blogs, and the editing is largely left in the hands of the writers (because they can't afford copyeditors), which automatically puts quality at risk. But it doesn't matter how reputable the publication. Mistakes are more rampant now than they've ever been, not because writers have suddenly gotten lazier, but because there are fewer people out there to catch the errors that have been there all along. Imagine what Joan Rivers would look like without her makeup artist, and you suddenly get the state of the written word today. The ebook edition of Stephen King's third Dark Tower book has so many mistakes in it, you'd swear you were reading a first draft. That was especially irritating, because I didn't recall the paper version of the book having that problem, so something terrible happened with the transfer there, and no one bothered to catch it. And we're talking Stephen King here!



Self-published books are even more prone to this problem. Not because the writers aren't as good (in some cases anyway), but because the process is often subject to fewer pairs of eyes before it hits the market. Often times, independent writers are in the position of putting the final polish on their own work, and most of the time they succeed, but the work is still just shy of typographical expectations in many cases. Freelance editing isn't cheap. I should know, because I am a freelance editor. And I'm also a living and breathing example of why, if you can afford it, an editor is a damn good idea. That's because despite my Herculean efforts, there are still typos in my published work, and it bothers me probably even more than it bothers you readers.



You may wonder how someone who edits other people can't even catch typos in her own work. With that credential under my belt, my stuff should be squeaky perfect. Right?



Well, no.



As I've been telling people for years, self-editing is a very tricky thing. Your eyes will never be as fresh on your own work as they are on someone else's. I wish I was a better self-editor. I know all the "tricks" to making a better go of it, but errors still slip through the cracks. I've been reminded of this by a few incensed reviewers, and I'm always left feeling terrible, because I just want people to know that every attempt is made on my part to catch mistakes. I read and re-read and re-read some more. To the point where I could recite most of my stories by rote. And just when I think I finally have something perfect, I find a new issue months later.





I have several beta readers who also do their best to catch those occasional mistakes. If I had thousands of dollars at my disposal, I'd have each piece edited by a top-notch professional, but that's just not possible at this juncture. And obviously, if I had a book deal and in-house editors with their gimlet eyes, my work would  shine. A lot of writers will be able to get this, but that doesn't matter. Readers don't get it. They expect perfection, and they don't know that even poorly edited work has likely been vetted to the best of someone's abilities. And really, that's okay. I expect perfection in my written products too.



But after working the writing side and the self-publishing side and the freelance editing side of this business, I "get" the whole typo thing now. I get that there are writers who will naturally produce near-perfect copy on the first draft, and there are others who are a little on the sloppier side (hi there!). There are also writers who are excellent at catching their own mistakes, just as there are writers who are a bit more absentminded (hi there again!). There are also people who pay for editors, but who still wind up with manuscripts full of errors (I've done a number of "second edits" for such people). There are also books written by immensely successful and competent writers at the top of the bestseller lists that still have typos in their books, and there are typo-laden news articles in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, and probably even in the friggen Bible. Undoubtedly, you've already found a few in this here blog.



The point is, I've made a lot of mistakes as a writer. And I've made every effort to catch those mistakes, and I have every reason to believe that most other writers are just as desperate to catch those mistakes before they're reminded of them by readers. And as annoyed as you are when you find typos in my stories, I can guarantee you that I'm at least three times as embarrassed. It isn't lack of knowledge about the English language. It isn't because I'm a bad writer or because I'm lazy or dumb.



It's because I fucked up, and in the course of (and in spite of) my tireless efforts to polish my work and make it perfect, I still missed a few things. And for that, I am deeply sorry. You have every right to cross me off your to-read lists, but I hope you stick with me.