Welcome to the first Wednesday Edition of the for the New Year, Wander, Wonder or Word Play.
Wednesday's will be a day to wander around the web, wonder about this and that or play with words.
Today we're going to wonder what is the proper etiquette for a new (as yet unpublished) author. While that's an open question, and likely to be a wonder from time to time, let me be specific. Edit etiquette
I have been reading an book from one of the folks in my chapter, and I have found some things that make me scratch my head and re-read paragraphs to make sure things were comprehend correctly. I'm about 1/2 way thru the book and I've found two different items that have stopped my reading flow cold and I've had to read back a page, sometimes more, to address what seems like a glaring error. I don't know that it matters, but the book is an e-pub.
So my wonder is - should I ask the author about these things, or just let it go? I'm not more than an acquaintance with this author, but we've traded email on the group loop and she's an active member of our chapter even though she doesn't live in the area.
To tell or not to tell, that is the question. I already had planed to send a note when I have finished reading the book, but I also feel a responsibility to author to say something about what I've found. If this is really an error (at least one, yes) and if so, could a correction be made so other readers will not be stopped to wonder. I know I want to know, if it ever happens in one of my books. And them a question too, if the e-pub can be re-published (or uploaded, uploaded or whatever) with corrections if they are needed.
But would you want to know? Thanks for your comments on my wonder, I'll be sure to fill in the details when I have finished the book.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Hmm. That's tricky. I'd say it's best not to say anything. Maybe send a little email to the publisher if you really want to. But they won't go back and fix it this late in the game.
This is why epubs can get a bad reputation sometimes; some of them just don't have the best editing department. It's good to research an epub that you want to submit to. Bummer that there were some errors though :( I'm sure it's sad for the author too.
It's tricky indeed, Dragon. And I was really interested to read what Shelli said about the publisher not fixing it - especially for an e-publisher. I mean, how hard is it to edit the Word file then create a new PDF? You'd think a reputable publisher would care about quality. After all, that's why we go through so many sets of edits with different eyes (author doing a final read, editor, copy-editor, author reading copy-edits, then author again reading galleys). Darn it, we all really want to get things right!
Even with a print publication, if the book's going to be reprinted, I'd like to think a truly glaring error might be fixed.
As an author (books in trade paper, stories in print mags, stories in e-format), I've only once had a reader comment about finding errors. She asked if I was interested in getting a list of the typos in one of my books. Being morbidly curious, I said yes. Turned out, there were only 2 or 3. Little typos, not glaring errors. Now, I figure that's pretty good!
Anyhow, I'm inclined to agree with Shelli that if I found the kind of errors you're talking about, I might tell the publisher but not the author. We all know authors are very, very sensitive. You never know how she might react. I know your intentions are good, but you don't want to be responsible for really hurting someone's feelings, or for making an enemy in this business.
Susan www.susanlyons.ca
Hey Lesa ;-),
I'd want to know. It's best to fix the stuff. Then again, the other person may not.
It's hard to know what to do. One thing's for sure -- it's frustrating, isn't it?
Julie
p.s. I can't wait to hear what you think about "Black Ice". I loved "Cold as Ice", because I'm just a little in love with the hero, Peter.
Ladies,
Thanks so very much for your comments.
Shelli - I thought about contacting the publisher too, cause it's their product as well and you'd think they have a rep to protect. I figure if anyone I know well would have the down low on e-pubs it would be you. Much grass.
Susan - That was kinda my thought - how hard can it be to upload a new PDF? For spelling errors, wrong words and typos, I'm not even sure I'd make a big deal about it, but when my reading comes to an abrupt hault, it just makes me cringe.
I don't want to hurt the author, that's the last thing I would want. Then again, I'd want to know. Such a delima. I think contacting the publisher is likely the best option, at least I'll feel I've filled my responsiblity as both a reader and an (wannabe) author.
I bet there are many things readers pass along that authors wish they had not. Thanks for your insight.
Julie - I'll be sure to let you know if that ever comes up! :D Not likely, but it's good to know how you feel. You're very right, it's horrible and frustrating. Makes me want to go over my work three or four more times before ANYONE has a chance to see it. Woops, too late. :D Thanks.
Black Ice was ineresting. It's the first Anne Stuart book I've read, but I remember we talked about her heros at the summer chapter meeting. We'll have to spend a little time with that when we meet on the 5th. I may actually have to do a write up on that one, they're kinda fun, and I miss that.
I'd definitely want to know, but I have to agree with Susan on this one. I think it's best not to tell the author. You don't want to hurt her feelings and make an enemy. But if you did decide to say something, I'd go about it like, "Hey, I was confused about one section of your book. It was when... and I tried to find the answer, but I couldn't. Did I miss something?" I think that would make it a little easier to digest than "Hey you made a glaring mistake, dumbass!" LOL Know what I mean?
And The WWWWP is fun, but hard to say 5 times fast (or 1 time slow). LOL I'll check back for next week's! :P
PS- Hasn't that word meter moved a bit?
Aura - You're the only one I'd call a dumbass, besides myself, so I don't think that would be too big a problem. (J/K)
Thanks for your input.
WWWWP - that's a mouth full - yes and is likely to become just WWW (words instead of word play) but I figured since it was the first posty of it's kind for a weekly feature.. meh, we shall see.
Meter? oh that meter. I'm leary of adding the NaNo words to the word count because they are all so very raw and not anything I'd let others see. Perhaps I'll do a little bloggy work this weekend while I'm cleaning the office - or would that be instead of cleaning the office?
You know, Susan may be right. Maybe with an epub some would go back and fix it. I'm thinking a few little grammar things. But if it's big and glaring, they very likely would. I'd hope!
And yes, authors can be very sensitive. You could breech it to the author, but then she'll realize she was the first to mess it up, and then that the editors missed it, too. It gets sticky.
Thanks very much for the advice, I really appreciate the help.
I'm going to contact the publisher, now that I've finished. There were a couple things later in the book, but nothing like the two items that stopped me cold.
I'll be sure to update if anything comes of it.
Thanks again!
Post a Comment