First, it's always easier to see mistakes when you are unfamiliar with the work--when you don't approach it with preconceived ideas (or full knowledge of what it is supposed to say).
I re-read my manuscript several times before sending it to betas, yet I missed...
"he made her toys curl"
Although toys is an interesting concept, I corrected it to toes.
Then, in addition to my all that just problems (see my post here), I have a but problem. It's better than a butt problem, but it's still a problem.
Speaking of butt problems. I recently read a novel where the following happened...
"I love you, but..."
"No butts..."
I agree, no butts in a relationship, but I don't think that's where the author intended this conversation to go (especially since it wasn't erotica).
Oooh, another typo I saw recently (another LOL moment)...
He pushed back her loch of hair.
The moment quickly went from sweet to confusing and overwhelming with the thought of him pushing back this massive sea of hair. Ew!
But I digress...I spent the day yesterday copying all of my thoughts and my betas' thoughts onto my printed manuscript. Looking at all the computer pages and comments was becoming way too difficult.
Then, I went back and added plots points to further develop, character thoughts and reactions to enhance, and emotional elements to strengthen. Finally, I looked at tension and foreshadowing for book three (and the 2.5 novella). All of these notes are now on one manuscript.
In a weird way, it was freeing. Sure, I see the work ahead of me. But, I feel confident the next draft is going to be MUCH better. I'm loving this story more and more.
So humor me... what's the funniest typo you've ever read in a book? The butt one tops mine!
As far as my A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) update... still editing. That is all. Peace out!
8 comments:
The funniest one I ever read was something like, "The stable was filled with the sound of knickers." I have trouble imagining that sound. The soft whisper of them hitting the floor?
My own personal best (which I corrected) was, "I didn't have time to bandage his wang."
Um... that should have been WING. Awkward...
I'm a pretty good proofreader for other people, but I have trouble catching my own errors. I think it's because we know what it's SUPPOSED to say, so that's what we see.
I see all kinds of errors in books, most of them not really funny. But I saw an ad for a house for sale, and it said it had a "huge dick". Um...deck?
Why is it so hard to catch things?! I see little random stuff like this all the time, it drives me crazy. I'm currently exploring some new techniques to significantly reduce this.
I can't think of anything in particular that made me laugh. I'm so often either confused or annoyed, but I know it's happened.
He pushed back her loch of hair.
Hey, if it's a Rapunzelle story, that line could work!
I've just been chuckling at the comments (knickers, wangs, dicks... I'm sensing a theme here).
I actually can't remember any specific errors so I'm guessing they weren't that amusing, though I know I've come across plenty.
Now, you know I've seen some howlers because that's my job. I'm not allowed to talk about most of it in public because of my contract verbiage. But toys for toes is a pretty good one :P Oh, wait... I did catch someone's boobs giggling (supposed to be jiggling) in a book I beta read for fun. I spewed coffee out of my nose. It burned. If only boobs could giggle :)
WRITE ON!
Blog comments make me so happy. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your funny editing catches... I think Jo might take the cake with boobs giggling (what an image!) but bandage his wang was pretty darn good, too.
Smiles!
Tia, there was a post on a typo in a romance novel: "He stiffened for a moment, then she felt his muscles loosen as he sh***ed on the ground."
The word was supposed to be "shifted."
The poor author was mortified.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell
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