Do grammar errors in threads bother you?

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Polenth

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What if the editor/proof reader is dyslexic too?

It shouldn't be an issue, because if dyslexia stopped them being good at editing or proof reading, they wouldn't have the job. It's a misconception to think that dyslexia means someone is destined to be bad with words and spelling forever. It makes learning word skills harder, but it doesn't mean it's impossible.
 

backslashbaby

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I have a little book of Hemingway's letters. I think many of y'all are missing out on a lot if you skip content by folks who have obvious errors in any of their writing for others :)

And I'd argue, now that I remembered his letters, that it doesn't show as much about someone's skills as some of you are making out. Unless you write better than Hemingway, I guess. And if you do, please do tell us so we can read your stuff and see for ourselves ;)
 

Deleted member 42

What if the editor/proof reader is dyslexic too?

If said editor/proofer has compensated enough to pass the fairly stringent tests that professionals are expected to pass, there's no problem.

There are rather a lot of publishing professionals who are dyslexic, and who are extremely skilled.

I'm not the only dyslexic with a Ph.D. in English, either--and the only "special" treatment I received was being allowed to use a computer to write my qualifying exams. I wasn't allowed to use spell check, but it keyboarding my essays did make it easier for faculty than reading my handwriting.
 
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Wasn't trying to be snarky, just trying to point out there's a definite difference between folks who flub an occasional word here and there and those who have noticeable issues with getting their point across, whether it's education, caring or whatever.

I get that--but here's another way to think about it.

However good we are at writing, and editing, there's always someone better. An ability to deal with text at a professional level doesn't make one a better person.
 

Jonathan Dalar

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I get that--but here's another way to think about it.

However good we are at writing, and editing, there's always someone better. An ability to deal with text at a professional level doesn't make one a better person.

You're very right on this. However, I might add that while an ability to deal with text at a professional level doesn't make one a better person, it certainly makes them a better writer.

And that is the crux of what we're talking about here, I think. Those that pare down their mistakes to bare minimum are viewed as better writers, and subsequently get the better shots with agents and publishers. Those that don't, show they have work to do before they get there.

For us here in this type of forum, where almost everyone here is struggling to be published, that's a vital distinction.
 

Soccer Mom

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It shouldn't be an issue, because if dyslexia stopped them being good at editing or proof reading, they wouldn't have the job. It's a misconception to think that dyslexia means someone is destined to be bad with words and spelling forever. It makes learning word skills harder, but it doesn't mean it's impossible.

Another dyslexic here. Didn't stop me from earning a BA in literature, earning a law degree or from being a writer. If anything, I'd say it's made me a more careful proofreader. All my editors have said I turn in exceptionally clean ms, probably because I'm so paranoid about it.

But I'm not as cautious when posting in the forum.
 
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NeuroFizz

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There are people who post here who have a great deal of writing experience, who know the language (although not perfectly), who are professional in their writing, but who also have a very busy schedule that precludes spending a great deal of time on their AW posts (I also want to read what others are posting). That means, at least for me, there will be some typos and mistakes in my posts from time to time. I will occasionally mistake a "to" for a "too" even though I know damn well the difference. And I may misuse a word on occasion. I just can't always catch the mistakes right away--I usually catch them later when I can come back and re-read what I posted. If the general feeling is people like me should stop posting at AW because we are such sloppy, unprofessional writers we don't deserve to be read by the rest of you, that's fine. I'll save you some trouble. I'm not dyslexic. I make mistakes. Put me on ignore. Problem solved.
 

flyingtart

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If said editor/proofer has compensated enough to pass the fairly stringent tests that professionals are expected to pass, there's no problem.

There are rather a lot of publishing professionals who are dyslexic, and who are extremely skilled.

I'm not the only dyslexic with a Ph.D. in English, either--and the only "special" treatment I received was being allowed to use a computer to write my qualifying exams. I wasn't allowed to use spell check, but it keyboarding my essays did make it easier for faculty than reading my handwriting.

Well good for you, but my point was it is passing the buck to say "publishers hire editors to clean up my mistakes". At some point you have to take responsibility for your own work.
 

NeuroFizz

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Well good for you, but my point was it is passing the buck to say "publishers hire editors to clean up my mistakes". At some point you have to take responsibility for your own work.
I'm going to speak for myself here. I've yet to produce a novel-length manuscript that has zero mistakes, and I suspect I never will. Proofreading is tough for me because after I've been over my own writing several times in editing, re-reading, and proofreading, I find my brain still jumps words in some sentences. I have had editors catch a "to" versus "too" type mistake even though I got it right in numerous other places in the manuscript (and I fully understand the difference). In some sentences, I just miss the mistakes more than once. This is one reason publishers hire editors, including line editors. Once the manuscript passes into the hands of editors, the work is still the responsibility of the author--that author is just collaborating with the editor to improve the manuscript prior to publication. Some of this collaboration involves cleaning up missed mistakes, but it also involves a give-and-take on some of the more substantial aspects of the author's story and the author's writing. And on that level, the editor's suggestions are just that--suggestions. In other words, the author maintains responsibility for the written work throughout. Nothing is being pushed off on editors, although the writer does rely on that editor (or editors) to help find problems with the manuscript, including missed mistakes, and to help clear up inconsistencies and points of possible reader misunderstanding.
 

shadowwalker

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If the general feeling is people like me should stop posting at AW because we are such sloppy, unprofessional writers we don't deserve to be read by the rest of you, that's fine. I'll save you some trouble. I'm not dyslexic. I make mistakes. Put me on ignore. Problem solved.

I don't think anyone has said that an occasional goof destroys the integrity or post-worthiness of anyone. I think what the majority are saying is that constant, never-ending gafs which show that the poster rarely checks, doesn't care, or is incapable of posting coherently, is a turn-off.
 

Deleted member 42

Well good for you, but my point was it is passing the buck to say "publishers hire editors to clean up my mistakes". At some point you have to take responsibility for your own work.

Let me put this another way.

The people in this thread who are making the harshest criticisms of other people's writing are making asses of themselves. In some cases their own prose is pedestrian, and their punctuation is less than standard. In others, the posters have clearly never met a prepositional phrase that they didn't want to have sex with. I'm also seeing posts that suggest their authors regard vague pronouns as an artistic flourish.

Also? No one in this thread said "publishers hire editors to clean up my mistakes."

That would be stupid, now, wouldn't it? And we're none of us stupid.

Finally, I spent about half an hour this morning correcting spelling errors and glaring grammar errors in thread titles by various posters.

I'm not the only one who does this several times a day; most of the mods do this.

None of us is perfect.
 

Soccer Mom

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Enough! Medievalist was attempting to calm the waters. She did not call anyone out individually, hence, no specific examples.

In fact, she was suggesting folks ease up a bit on being so judgmental. I'm not suggesting. I'm telling everyone right now:

Any further posts which attack a specific person in this thread will earn someone time off.
 

Eumenides

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Yes, they bother me. I think people should strive to always write as impeccably as possible. Re-reading a post doesn't take long. And when I spot a mistake in one of my posts, I edit it.
 

CaroGirl

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Nothing bothers me more than spotting errors in my own posts. Yeah, it might have happened once (or twice).
 

Russ Mars

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Yes, they bother me. I think people should strive to always write as impeccably as possible. Re-reading a post doesn't take long. And when I spot a mistake in one of my posts, I edit it.

Ah, a kindred spirit. I'm with you on all points, in theory and practice.
 

Phaeal

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I'm going to speak for myself here. I've yet to produce a novel-length manuscript that has zero mistakes, and I suspect I never will.

Has anyone ever accomplished this feat? I doubt it. Far into subbing my last novel, I could still go in and find a "plague" where a "plaque" was needed. :D
 

Russ Mars

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Has anyone ever accomplished this feat? I doubt it. Far into subbing my last novel, I could still go in and find a "plague" where a "plaque" was needed. :D

That's yet another thing I love about word processors. (I'm so old, I actually remember "typing" manuscripts for hours or, heaven forbid, writing them by hand.)

The "find and replace" feature is such a boon! Once I notice I've mistakenly used one word for another, I run that feature to do a quick scan of other instances of my error.
 

Deleted member 42

Has anyone ever accomplished this feat? I doubt it. Far into subbing my last novel, I could still go in and find a "plague" where a "plaque" was needed. :D

I've just finished converting four previously published novels from a big six publisher to ePub, per the publisher's request.

I found sixteen errors in one book, and two or three in each of the others. These are errors in the printed book.

These were all flat-out errors, not matters of usage or style. But they're all the sorts of things that are easily missed. We all read with expectations, and it's easy to see what we expect to see, instead of what's actually on the page.

Often errors of this sort are corrected in subsequent editions, or even reprints. Sometimes though, they linger on for years, and embarrass authors and editors--ask any editor and after they cringe, they'll tell you their story about "the one that got away. "

Sometimes it's a file management problem--the wrong file, perhaps an uncorrected galley file--got sent to the printer.
 

MacAllister

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I think this has gone around and around enough, now, and this particular dead horse is all beaten out.
 
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