Typo Terror

Undercover · Sep 11, 2011

I sent my full and a few partials out to some agents and just now noticed some typos. It isn't horrible, but they're there, I got about halfway through of reading it and found about 7 or 8 and am terrified I have a lot more. I just don't understand how I can read the thing so many different times and still find flaws with it. And yes, I had betas and a family member read through it too. So I felt confident and sent it out to those who were interested.

I changed the font to suit this one agent's requests and started reading again for some reason and whammo...one, then another, then a few more.

Do you think this might be overlooked if they like it that much? I've had two decline it and now I'm wondering if it has to do with my messiness. I feel so rotten right now.

lauralam · Sep 11, 2011

I had a couple as well, and some tense issues, I'm sure. I've read it so many times, but your eyes see what the mind expects a lot of the time.

Think about it, though--typos are damned easy to fix, and that's why every book goes through a copy editor. If they love your book but decide not to take it because of a few typos, then you probably don't want them representing you.

I sent off a query the other day with a slight typo in the agent's name. Talk about rookie mistake 101. Sigh...

kaitie · Sep 11, 2011

When I got revision notes back from my agent and started working through them, I discovered several typos. He'd never mentioned them, so they obviously weren't too big of a deal. I fixed them of course, but I don't think a few typos is a deal breaker. Now, if it's more than a few it can make your work look unpolished or like you just don't know what you're doing, but a couple won't really matter.

And I always find things to change even after reading something dozens of times. The closer we are to the work, the harder it is to see mistakes. Odd but true.

Maryn · Sep 11, 2011

Just plain typos are easy to overlook and easy to correct. Seven or eight in half a manuscript is not a big deal.

Seven or eight errors in writing mechanics or continuity would be a much bigger deal.

Maryn, who makes mistakes of every shape and kind

Undercover · Sep 11, 2011

Thanks guys. You are all in fact making me feel better, thank you so much. Still reading through it yet again, and it's getting better. I think I have more in the beginning because I revised it so many times.

Gatita · Sep 11, 2011

Unless they're all in the first chapter, I wouldn't sweat it. No one ever mentioned my own typos, and I still keep finding some.

leahzero · Sep 11, 2011

Maryn said:
Seven or eight errors in writing mechanics or continuity would be a much bigger deal.

This. 8 or 10 typos out of 80k or 100k words is nothing.

Changing the typeface/size is actually a good way to help yourself spot them. It can force you to actually read and parse instead of skimming from memory. Also, if possible, run the MS through a text-to-speech program. Helped me catch several missed words that couldn't be caught with a spellchecker—my brain has a habit of running ahead of my fingers.

Undercover · Sep 11, 2011

That's a good idea. Yeah, it was the font thing that made me wanna read again. That definitely made them jump out more.

I'll have to look into that speech thing on my computer...I have Windows 2007. Do you know how I can go about that?

Maryn · Sep 11, 2011

LMC, you might want to pose your question in the Tech forum, so people who aren't following this thread will learn how, too.

Maryn, who doesn't know

Becca C. · Sep 11, 2011

When I'm querying a manuscript, I never, ever re-read it. That way the manuscript for sure stays the exact same as what the requesting agents are seeing, and I don't stress myself out. If you're still making changes, it isn't ready to be queried.

It might save your sanity to stop rereading it.

Undercover · Sep 11, 2011

Becca C. said:
When I'm querying a manuscript, I never, ever re-read it. That way the manuscript for sure stays the exact same as what the requesting agents are seeing, and I don't stress myself out. If you're still making changes, it isn't ready to be queried.

It might save your sanity to stop rereading it.

The best idea yet. LOL Yeah, I've stopped and you're right Becca, I shouldn't stress. I believe it won't be totally perfect no matter how many times I read it in whatever fonts I put it in.

Maryn, I will see if I can figure it out myself before I post in the tech forum, thanks.

Susan Coffin · Sep 11, 2011

Lmc71775 said:
I sent my full and a few partials out to some agents and just now noticed some typos. It isn't horrible, but they're there, I got about halfway through of reading it and found about 7 or 8 and am terrified I have a lot more. I just don't understand how I can read the thing so many different times and still find flaws with it. And yes, I had betas and a family member read through it too. So I felt confident and sent it out to those who were interested.

I changed the font to suit this one agent's requests and started reading again for some reason and whammo...one, then another, then a few more.

Do you think this might be overlooked if they like it that much? I've had two decline it and now I'm wondering if it has to do with my messiness. I feel so rotten right now.

Lisa,

People make typos. I would correct the typos for the next round of queries and not worry too much about these. There is such a thing as trying to be too perfect.

iRock · Sep 12, 2011

A few typos isn't going to upset anyone. I don't know if you let the manuscript sit for a while, but that often helps me when it comes to picking up errant typos. They're sneaky bastards.

shelleyo · Sep 12, 2011

When you're in the proofreading stage, different/bigger fonts really do help.

Printing it out and reading in hardcopy is also helpful, as is reading it aloud. Different methods highlight different words for some reason.

Shelley

Typo Terror

Undercover

I got it covered

lauralam

Moonshade

kaitie

With great power comes

Maryn

Baaa!

Undercover

I got it covered

Gatita

Girl reporter

leahzero

The colors! THE COLORS!

Undercover

I got it covered

Maryn

Baaa!

Becca C.

Undercover

I got it covered

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

iRock

That's how I roll

shelleyo

Just another face in a red jumpsuit