Regarding the badly edited book....
By patgalca
@patgalca (18481)
Orangeville, Ontario
August 27, 2015 11:34pm CST
I posted earlier in the week about a book I just finished reading that was written by a member of our writing group. I had lunch with another friend from the writing group and asked her if she had read that particular book. She hadn't but she agreed with me that the author was spinning out these books too quickly and that [/i]someone[i] was not reading the final copy. In this case it seemed to be the agent. This just goes to prove that you should get someone, anyone, read your final copy whether it be a friend or a paid editor.
I am lending this book to the friend I had lunch with but I sure as heck am not going to say anything to the author. I still have another of her books on my shelf to read and she has another one coming out soon.
I guess it just gives me a little more incentive to get back to editing my book and making sure it shines.
10 people like this
9 responses
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
28 Aug 15
A short while back, I read a book that had quite a few words that were not spelled correctly. I could not believe it. I can see maybe one or two throughout the whole book. But more than a handful?? Something wrong with the editing.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
29 Aug 15
I wonder if they rely too heavily on software to edit. It surely does not catch everything.
@patgalca (18481)
• Orangeville, Ontario
29 Aug 15
@GardenGerty I think there was every different kind of error you could think of in this particular book. Quotes at the end of a sentence that wasn't a quote; a sentence that had been edited but a word (repeated) had not been removed; missing prepositions; even a part of the story line that didn't jibe. Actually, I don't think there were any spelling errors.
@Bluedoll (16770)
• Canada
28 Aug 15
There are a few factors which determine how much time and effort you are able to put into a finished product. Your post reminded me of an old Hemingway short story where in the story he was a writer describing another thoughtless writer who was also writing in the short story. I think that last sentence needs editing don't you?
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
11 Sep 15
I can understand why you would be nervous about saying something to the author but sometimes constructive criticism can be a good thing. Maybe she will want to consider a different editor if you point out all the mistakes her agent is making. I don't usually notice many mistakes in books but sometimes I catch one and I get a thrill out of finding one that the editor over looked. I am reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone with my children currently and someone wrote many corrections in the book.
@patgalca (18481)
• Orangeville, Ontario
20 Nov 15
It was written by a member of my writing group so I feel obligated to finish reading (besides, I never stop reading a book part way through - once I start I have to finish). I can't help but feel bad though because she has had a very rough year with health issues (I think she might have fibromyalgia) and now the end of her marriage.
@patgalca (18481)
• Orangeville, Ontario
22 Nov 15
She knows she should do that as we encourage that in the writing group, and she does share some of her writing aloud with us. She also gives full manuscripts to friends to read and give their opinions. I'm sorry but there is something wrong with her agent if she is letting this stuff get published this way.
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
29 Aug 15
When you have gone to the trouble to write an entire book you should edit it well. I see that you are doing that. It is too bad the author you just read is not.
