Black Point: Re-editing a Much Loved Book
By A.J. Llewellyn
When D.J. Manly and I had our first collaboration successfully published five years ago, we were thrilled with the way readers responded to Black Point and our characters, Thomas and Matt.
As the series progressed, our readers told us – thankfully – that each successive book got better and better and that the stories were richly detailed and layered.
I was also shocked to discover when the rights to these books lapsed and we took them to the amazing and wonderful Mojocastle Press, that they were riddled with typos!
ACK!
I was astounded that though professionally edited, things had slipped through the cracks. It’s also interesting to note how much things have changed grammatically since we wrote this book in 2008. What, for example is with this mania for hyphenating everything now? Most of it is arbitrary and senseless. Some of it is a matter of style and many publishers I’m pleased to see, balk at hyphenating things for-no-apparent-reason.
Recently, I discovered www.grammarly.com which helps writers improve their work before the editor even sees it. I’ll admit, I write very fast and sometimes my brain moves more quickly than my fingers. I read back over stuff I’ve written and think, “Whaaaaat?”
When I first heard about Grammarly I was a little suspicious because I thought it might be yet another online tool designed to take money out of the hands of struggling authors – except, doggone it, this thing works!
I admit I gnashed my teeth when I ran sample paragraphs of a WIP through Grammarly. I got a 76% rating.
76?
“It’s a WIP!” I screamed at my laptop. “A goddamned work in progress!”
Then I examined the stats to the left and began correcting my spoken words. Is it goddamned? Or goddamn? Does it know what a WIP is? Can anyone see me screaming at an inanimate object here?
I suppose 76% isn’t bad, grumble, grumble, particularly since, with a paid subscription I was able to actually improve the paragraphs I ran through the system. I was ecstatic to find that Grammarly doesn’t have a mad love affair going on with hyphenated words and it actually seems to get my warped sense of humor.
But I digress.
Well, no, I don’t. The system picked up slang words and suggested more formal words. Good to know if you’re applying for a job say, like the President of the USA. Or you’re firing off a profanity-laced Dear John letter.
I am well aware of my penchant for overusing phrases and repeating words. I could put penchant in a sentence five times and quite like it. But my editors will yellow highlight penchant and infer by unspoken word that I need to pick just one penchant.
How unfair!
Reading over Black Point as DJ and I and our gorgeous editor and publisher, Stephanie Seckellick Kelsey finalized the galley, was bittersweet. I am glad these stories are available again both for our cherished and adored readers, and hopefully new ones, too. I am reminded of how DJ lives in Canada and spells things differently. Except for the word penchant. We spell that word exactly the same.
I can remember where I was in my life at the time we wrote this, both personally and professionally. I was trying to break myself out of the habit of overusing ellipses. But alas, I am far from perfect. I still have a penchant for those adorable little dots!
…
Whatever it is that YOU use to correct your grammar, I’m curious to know, what works for you? Have you tried any of the onine systems? What did Grammarly tell you if you tried the free test? DJ and I really want to know!
What things do you overdo in your work? Please comment to qualify to win a $30 Amazon gift card!
Penchantly,
A.J.
