I
needed a little humor to lighten my day, and my guest author, Dorothy Bodoin
fulfilled my need. Read on, and think about some of the errors you’ve caught
(hopefully before your book went to print). I’ve caught a few of my own after the book was published. Welcome, Dorothy!
On Mistakes
In spite of our best
intentions, they creep into our writing, creating unintentional humor and
confusion. For example, whoever heard of
a freshly baked (bathed) collie? Or a pot
roast dinner that miraculously turns into meatloaf with the turn of a
page? Or a shotgun that transforms into
a rifle every other time it’s mentioned?
That last mistake was
particularly embarrassing, especially when I received an e-mail from a gun
expert. When I wrote A Shadow on the Snow, I didn’t know
much about guns. I never owned one,
never fired one. But my Great Aunt Mary
had a cabin up north, and above her fireplace hung a rifle. Or was it a shotgun? I thought shotgun was a synonym for rifle
when I thought about it at all.
Because I find it
handy to arm my villains, I’ve made it my business to know the difference.
When I write, I
revise each chapter of my book numerous times on a separate document before I
add it to the complete manuscript, but sometimes mistakes occur and I never
notice them. The common
explanation? A writer knows what should be there, so she
doesn’t see the mistake.
Sometimes I find them
in time, but not always. I can’t believe how many there are. Having a character in two places at the same
time. Substituting one name for another.
I caught that one on my first reading of a manuscript. Taking away one of my heroine’s dogs by
typing the wrong number—implying that she wasn’t going to get a pancake
treat—was more serious. That’s the kind
of mistake that upsets a dog lover.
For this and many
other readers, a good editor is invaluable, and I’m fortunate to have one.
I’ve found errors in
other authors’ writing, usually in e-book format. They yank me right out of the story. I go back and reread and wonder what I missed
or if I misunderstood something.
I’m always grateful
if a reader takes time to comment on a mistake they’ve found. After the book is released, I can’t do
anything about it. All I can do is keep
my mind from wandering and proofread more carefully in the future.
Have you ever noticed
errors like typos or inconsistences in published work? How much do they bother you, if at all?
Thank you, Dorothy! It helps to know I’m not the only one
who sometimes has this problem. I hope you’ll be my guest again, soon.
I love Dorothy's latest book cover
Website: http://www.dorothybodoin.com/ (You can
subscribe to her newsletter on her website.
CLICK HERE to visit Marja McGraw’s website
CLICK HERE for a quick trip to Amazon.com
Dorothy and Marja,
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. It's nice to know I'm in good company. :)
We've all made our share of mistakes (hopefully, catching them before our book went to print) and the ability to laugh at ourselves is priceless.
Thanks for reading, Pat. This is only the tip of the mistake iceberg. Last night I read a book in which Kitty turned to Katie and back to Kitty on the same page. We are all in good company.
ReplyDeleteI usually catch those when I get the proof copy. Or in your case, it would be the gallies. It's amazing how much we miss, even with a good editor. I always give the manuscript a final read through before submitting, but somehow one or two ttypos always slip in. LOL!
ReplyDeleteIt has to be the computer gremlins at work. I have a first edit to submit now, but I'm going to read it again before I do.
ReplyDeleteI read a book recently by a NYT bestselling author which confused the seasons more than once, even though the entire book took place over the span of a week. My first reaction is to assume I missed something, but that's not always the case. It happens to everyone at some point. Pat Gligor is right that it's key to be able to laugh at ourselves sometimes. It's also key to promise ourselves we'll do a better job next time.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Amy. My best laughs come from my own mistakes.
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