A Question About Editing
Regina asks:
So, I have a serious question here, and forgive me if you’ve addressed it in a blog or something somewhere. Why do you think that there are so many badly- or un- proofread e-books? It seems to me that writers have so many more editing avenues these days. I’m reading this great, imaginative story right now, full of adventure and great characters, and I keep getting sucked out of the moment by spelling, homophone, and syntax errors. Lord knows, I’m no grammar police, but it makes me a little crazy! What do you think?
Good question, Regina. The reason for so many poorly edited books these days is the same reason so many bands you go see at small gigs have an instrument out of tune, an amplifier that doesn’t sound great, or a singer who is off-key. Respectively, each of these is a matter of professionalism, cost, and ability (amount of practice).
Reviews certainly help highlight books with and without problems so readers know ahead of time. Be sure to notice the books that are well edited, and reward the author by highlighting this fact for other readers. Or do what my editor did and email the author with suggestions. Or reach out and offer editing services. Freelancers are popping up everywhere, and they are both sorely needed and greatly appreciated. Many of us just don’t know any better as we set out. We’re all still learning.
This might not seem obvious at first, but some of the fault lies with our expectations as readers. Shakespeare couldn’t spell a word the same way twice in a single sentence. Back in the day, words were there to communicate ideas, not to align to some golden standard. There was no standard. It was left up to the writer. Punctuation didn’t even always exist. At one point, all the letters ran together. No spaces, no periods, no nothing! It was up to the reader to do the work and piece together the meaning.
So writers have indeed gotten lazy these days, but so have readers. We expect perfection. Not a hiss or pop of static or a missed note. Maybe we should train ourselves to read how people used to read: with a little effort. Not getting hung up on discrepancies of spelling and punctuation (which used to abound), but allowing the words, in all their variability, to form pictures in our heads.
This takes practice. It takes a different approach to grammar and spelling. You have to learn to see words the way we hear voices: with accents and drawls and occasional mispronunciations. I go back and forth between books written by US authors and UK authors, and the variability doesn’t bother me at all. It’s part of the voice. I see authors all the time who use semi-colons between dependent and independent clauses, which is technically correct, but I take their meaning, gather a deeper breath, and read on.
They are the ones leading me. It’s their dance. I can choose to fall in with a slightly different step and enjoy the diversity of experience, or I can approach reading the way we perform the electric shuffle, crying “That’s not perfectly right!” and wishing everyone felt the same.
But the primary onus is certainly on the writer. They should have respect for what they’re doing. But if I had to pick between a great storyteller who lacked precision of language and a perfect writer with no story to tell, I’d take the former every single time. We teach too much prose to writers and not enough plot. Plot is king. Prose is pawn.
newest »
All else being equal, I would choose the well-edited book every time. I would rather spend my effort as a reader appreciating nuance than struggling over awkward construction, poor grammar or creative spelling. Shakespeare didn't have to worry about millions of competitors, many of whom have mastered both story and structure. That said, I might be able to forgive a strained usage or two if you were to write your novels entirely in iambic pentameter ;)
Grammar and punctuaation are regional. Neither do they cross into other coutries with the same language. JUst because you were judged by a teacher in school, doesn't mean you should judge. Please be open to nuance and meaning. I write in a cowboy vernaxculer, which gives the characters that particular personallit. The sound nothing like a gut from the bromx, a surfer, a college professor or probably you. They sound like the regional people they are. proud and happy to play with the "rules". There is no universal rule, just chack the grammar expertd, exceptions are the rule. I agree With Hugh, relax and enjoy. And while I make every effort to get every word and pghrase perfect in my book, bear in mind that the conception, the nuance, the idea, the writing itself is what matters. That is 99% of the author's work. Editng is a small, though time consuming, aside.
I get it. But if you really want your reader to get involved in your story, why allow spelling and grammatical errors to interrupt the flow? Because that is what it does, it takes your reader out of the story, the character, the experience the you the writer is trying to impart. There are editors, there is software, there are your friends or relatives who can give your writing a read through that should catch the glaring mistakes. As a reader I don't want to try to "figure out" what you are trying to say, I want you to draw a picture, so I can see, hear and feel your story. I am not talking about vernacular, that just adds to the character, but when you write a sentence and skip words or use the your instead of you're or to instead of too or two, if you give a place a name in one sentence and then spelled another way in the next paragraph (I just had this experience, and I had to wonder which was the actual name of the country), then it interrupts the story.
I agree. Consistency and our best efforts at perfect books count. I have to say that now that I am editing, I see many more typos and other errors even in traditionally published NY Times Top 100 bestsellers. So, please, give an author a break and go with it. It doesn't interupt the flow for me enough to matter. For me, a good book shines through and a great book remains awesome. Authors and editors a're only human. (And 'to' instead of 'too' is the one I see all the time, lol) The best to all the wonderful readers out there. You rock!
I do read them anyway and mark them all, wishing I could send the whole thing to the author. I should become an editor. Been thinking about it for a while. Love all you authors who bravely put your art out there for us to enjoy and in some cases critique. I have been a writer (non published) and an artist and it is huge to let it out for others to see. Still, how hard to let one other person read your work before putting it out there? In some cases that woukd catch a whole lot.
I'm an English/Communications major who agrees with Hugh. Yes, poorly edited works can pull you from the story, but I propose that if it's a really GREAT story, you get pulled right back in. Even so, BIG KUDOS to independents who turn out a well-edited manuscript. It's hard work, and sometimes costly.
Barbara wrote: "Grammar and punctuaation are regional. Neither do they cross into other coutries with the same language. JUst because you were judged by a teacher in school, doesn't mean you should judge. Please b..."Just have to say that I was giggling about two lines in and laughing out loud with tears streaming down my face by the end of your comment, Barbara. Well played! :-D
