The Importance of Eliminating Typos?

[BWFoster78]

I'm getting ready to send my novel to the editor. I'm kinda hoping for a quick (less than 2-month) edit followed by self publishing. Looking forward to getting the book out there, I'm struck with the question, "How much time should I devote to the elimination of typos?"

Don't get me wrong. I hate typos and want to stomp out as many of the things as possible. However, I can't afford a proofreader (budget is already shot!). I will send it to my sister who does typesetting and is quite good at proofreading. I'll also do a proof pass myself.

I'm just not sure either of those will guarantee elimination of typos.

To do so, I'd have to do a full proof myself. I'm guessing that would add a full 40 hours of workload to do it right.

Worth it or is what I'm doing good enough?

Thanks.

Brian

 

[Graylorne]

Somehow I think your texts aren't riddled with typo's and funny grammar
I'd say do those last two checks and send it in. And keep in mind that even the best edited books will not be 100% error-free.
Besides, should you miss any, the editor will point them out.

 

[BWFoster78]

Somehow I think your texts aren't riddled with typo's and funny grammar

I tend to have a lot of places where I changed a phrase and forgot to delete part of the old one. Leads to things like: the her OR The Ashley. Hard to spot as the mind tends to fill in what you meant to write. Also so, so easy to leave off a quotation or some such.

keep in mind that even the best edited books will not be 100% error-free.

I understand that, but people seem to notice it in self published works moreso than in traditional. Makes me want to pay even more attention.

Besides, should you miss any, the editor will point them out.

Can't afford a line edit, and I'm sure my final editing will introduce new ones.

 

[Graylorne]

I know the first problem. Perhaps your sister could look for those?

The second point I shouldn't worry about too much. There will always be people trying to catch you out. Well, there's only so much you can do.

Point three is a clear sign to stop editing. (Besides, one of the plus points of self-publishing is, you can always correct any leftover typo's afterwards).

 

[Devor]

I think there's nothing worse than a review itemizing how bad your typos are. I mean, you can fix them later, but you can't get rid of those reviews. It depends on how good you and your friends and your editor is, sure, but I think if there's any doubt about whether you've gotten virtually all of them, then there's no doubt you need to do more to get them.

As a barometer, I believe I remember reading an article somebody posted about a bad review which complained about finding 6 typos in a novel. So 6 would appear to be too many.


((edit))

Hard to spot as the mind tends to fill in what you meant to write. Also so, so easy to leave off a quotation or some such.

There are tricks. Read sentences out of order, print it, read it aloud, have one of those computer programs to read it out loud to you. No problem is insurmountable.

 

[brokethepoint]

You aren't doing beta readers?

 

[Steerpike]

I just finished a novel that I liked, but that 7 or 8 very noticeable typos in it, and to be honest I thought about sending a message to the author letting him know they ought to fix those, at least in the electronic edition. It did bug me.

 

[BWFoster78]

There are tricks. Read sentences out of order, print it, read it aloud, have one of those computer programs to read it out loud to you. No problem is insurmountable.

Devor,

I've no doubt that, should I do a full edit, I could almost be assured of getting rid of all of them. The question is whether or not the time spent is worth it.

From yours and Steerpike's answers, perhaps it is.

 

[BWFoster78]

You aren't doing beta readers?

I had beta readers for early drafts. None planned for the final version. To me, the final version is for proofing, not beta reading.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

I think one of the keys to successful self-publishing is to make your book indistinguishable in appearance & readability when compared to the product of a traditional publisher. That would cover everything from cover art, interior design, the quality of the story, editing quality, among others.

I'd say if you have doubts about those errors then you should address them. I wouldn't want something I've sweated over for such a long time, and my first big release to the world, to be fraught with errors.

As a reader, typos bother me.

 

[Svrtnsse]

It's not unthinkable you may have spent a lot more time fixing issues that the average reader is a lot less likely to notice.

 

[Nihal]

As a reader, typos bother me as well. Sometimes a lot.

I agree with T.Allen.Smith, it's desirable to have your work to be indistinguishable from a (good) traditionally published book. Typos are going leave a bad impression on your readers, making them perceive your work as, depending on the number and type of typos, something of subpar quality. If—from their point of view—you didn't take the time to make sure your book is ready to be published, why would they spend their time and money to read it/more of your work?


P.s.: I don't see the issue with have someone beta reading your final version. You could take this as an opportunity to get reviews too.

 

[BWFoster78]

I think one of the keys to successful self-publishing is to make your book indistinguishable in appearance & readability when compared to the product of a traditional publisher. That would cover everything from cover art, interior design, the quality of the story, editing quality, among others.

I'd say if you have doubts about those errors then you should address them. I wouldn't want something I've sweated over for such a long time, and my first big release to the world, to be fraught with errors.

As a reader, typos bother me.

I agree that excessive errors are bad.

What I was trying to ask is: to what extend should you endeavor to try to eliminate all typos?

I've read numerous traditionally published books in which I've noticed typos.

 

[BWFoster78]

P.s.: I don't see the issue with have someone beta reading your final version. You could take this as an opportunity to get reviews too.

I do plan to ask others to read it before the release date in order to do reviews. Of those people that I have some (at least online) relationship with, I'll request the point out any errors they may find.

That, however, is not what I consider beta reading. The product should be finished by the time I get it in the reviewers hands.

 

[Steerpike]

I agree that excessive errors are bad.

What I was trying to ask is: to what extend should you endeavor to try to eliminate all typos?

I've read numerous traditionally published books in which I've noticed typos.

I think it is worth trying to get them all. Although it may be unfair, I think a self-published book is going to suffer more for things like typos than a traditionally published one.

When people come across typos in a traditionally published book, they may tend to think "ah, that one slipped past the editor." If there are enough, it will irk them.

With a self-published book, I suspect even a few of them could lead a reader to say "this wasn't even edited. $&@#! amateurs." There's enough really bad self-published fiction out there that it probably wouldn't take a lot for a reader to mentally shift your work into the "unprofessional" category as a result of fewer mistakes than they'd tolerate in a traditionally-published work.

 

[Nihal]

Yes, after writing a P.S. I considered changing it, my word choice was quite unfortunate. Not exactly beta reading (although it doesn't hurt to look into some issue that may be pointed by a considerable number of readers), but someone who you know you can also ask to point typos if this person happens to find them.

Sidenote: I believe I get more bothered by typos in traditionally published works than self published. While I believe self published works should strive for quality, something traditionally published should have it by default. It shouldn't look amateurish by any means.

 

[brokethepoint]

Ok, with the example you were posing I thought it would be something they would catch pretty easy.

I had beta readers for early drafts. None planned for the final version. To me, the final version is for proofing, not beta reading.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Personally, I have noticed a rise in the number of typos in the industry as a whole, and I find it to be incredibly unprofessional. It's not even just a matter of small typos like dropped letters or misplaced apostrophes, but also an over-reliance on spell-checking. For example, in one book I read a few years back, traditionally published by a major publisher and a best-selling author, a beautiful male character in a moment of emotional vulnerability tells the strong heroine that in his younger days he was a "catamount." Yes, the word was spelled perfectly... of course, it was supposed to be "catamite," but that's not what made it into print. So, tender moment blown by spell-check.

My advise, were this my project, would be to sit down with the manuscript and read the whole thing out loud, back to front, and take frequent breaks to keep your eyes from glazing too much. Reading aloud uses a different part of your brain to process information and helps to keep your mind from filling in what it thinks should be there. Sometimes it will try, anyway, but you can detect these attempts because there will be a small hiccup or hesitation in your reading. It's time consuming, I know, but since we as writers are ultimately responsible for the quality of our products, regardless of the method we choose for publication, I think it's time well spent.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

I think it is worth trying to get them all. Although it may be unfair, I think a self-published book is going to suffer more for things like typos than a traditionally published one.

My thoughts exactly. Why let a few errors push your work headlong into the massive pile of drivel sitting, unread, on virtual shelves?

I don't see a lot of typos in works that have the benefit of professional line editing. If you want to be taken seriously, to be considered a professional, you need to hold yourself to the same standard and produce a similar quality.

 

[ThinkerX]

Personally, I have noticed a rise in the number of typos in the industry as a whole, and I find it to be incredibly unprofessional. It's not even just a matter of small typos like dropped letters or misplaced apostrophes, but also an over-reliance on spell-checking.

THIS.

And its not just spelling/grammar. GRRM mentioned a few years ago he'd gotten a queary from a confused dutch translator for 'Game of Thrones' - apparently there was a horse which changed gender a couple of times. Not in the same block of text, but from chapter to chapter. He just shrugged it off.

I've seen the same from Feist and others.

It afflicts me as well. Last night I took a peek at parts of my WIP I considered to be 'well polished' - and found instances where I had the same (very minor) character with two similiar, but still different names. (I'd changed his name in one draft, but didn't catch it every place.)

To me, this makes the works of the old line authors - the ones who banged out their masterpieces on typewriters where one mistake or revision killed an entire page - to be all the more impressive. To get it right - to avoid all that retyping, they had to think it through the first time.