Comments on: Things That Make My Head Explode https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html a freelance writing resource. Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:45:09 +0000 hourly 1 By: Lori https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html#comment-7637 Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:45:09 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html/#comment-7637 Amie, that's what's upsetting. They have paid professionals, yet they're not getting it right. Or… are they using unpaid interns? If so, they should be much more selective.

Becky, I wouldn't buy a book with tons of typos, either. I get frustrated with just a few in a book!

Jenn, good to know. And you're probably right. They could be hiring the wrong editors. One friend's book was so badly edited I couldn't even tell her what I thought of the plot. There were paragraphs where the characters' names changed, lines were doubled, as in "He crept up on her slowly. He crept up on her slowly." There's no excuse for that. I think she let the publisher do the editing – BIG mistake!

]]> By: Jenn Mattern https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html#comment-7630 Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:37:44 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html/#comment-7630 Lori — It depends on the kind of editing they hired the person to do. Big difference between story editing and line editing. Self-pubbed authors frequently try to save money (understandable) so it wouldn't surprise me if some are simply hiring the wrong editors. I'd go so far as to say you need at least two sets of extra eyes — your editor and a final proofreader. And even then I'd say your work is incomplete until you've brought in beta readers for more reader-oriented feedback (when they're not specifically looking for typos, it can be easier to spot them).

]]> By: becky https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html#comment-7629 Sun, 20 Feb 2011 06:07:38 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html/#comment-7629 I wanted to buy a copy of one of Julia Cameron's books for my Kindle. But I spotted several mistakes in just the SAMPLE, so there's no way I could stand to read the entire book. And the print copy I have most certainly does not have the same (nor as many) errors.

]]> By: Amie https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html#comment-7628 Sat, 19 Feb 2011 04:21:48 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html/#comment-7628 Typos in TV news programs' (local and national) crawls, promos and on-screen banners have been really prolific of late, as have really obvious typos in our two neighborhood papers. I know they have editorial staff…it really gets my goat! Also irritating to me: typos in books that have had multiple reprints.

]]> By: Lori https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html#comment-7627 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:25:56 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html/#comment-7627 Pretentious Wombat, you have to have the BEST moniker! Love it!

Hilarious example! I'm with you. I'm tired of hearing people confuse "leery" and "weary." As in "I was weary of his motives." Yea, people with motives tucker me out, too. LOL

Devon, that's a fantastic idea! There is one bank that I know exists in both countries. I shall give them a try.

I hope the other issue (non-insurance) clears up for you soon.

]]> By: Devon Ellington https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html#comment-7626 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:10:58 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html/#comment-7626 If the sign on the store is misspelled, I put the product down and leave. If questioned, I point out the error and say, "that indicates your low level of quality, and i will spend my money elsewhere."

Lori, it's not insurance this time, it's a list of other crap.

Re: international checks in banks. I dealt with this a lot when I had shows going internationally, and still do, sometimes, with scripts.

What I did for awhile was have a second account at an international bank that has a US presence. I could have that account in either dollars or the home currency, which made it easier to do business when I was in that country, and I could also write checks to my US-only bank from the international bank, and the other way around, when I needed to work in that currency. I'd cleared it all through the IRS, and declared all income, so there were no problems. I also saved thousands of dollars in transfer fees when I had to put deposits on spaces, housing, etc.

Even now, I have an account with a local bank, and I retain and do a lot of business through my credit union.

]]> By: Pretentious Wombat https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html#comment-7625 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:49:19 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html/#comment-7625 Possibly the most annoying misuse of the English language (for me, anyway) is when people say "hung" instead of "hanged". Seriously, I don't want to know how the man was hung. I think I beamed with delight when we went to see True Grit and everyone used the correct form of the verb when discussing the hanging. 😀

My girls and I have been known to use a Sharpie on signs in stores in order to either correct grammar or punctuation.

]]> By: Lori https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html#comment-7624 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:53:46 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html/#comment-7624 Cathy, that's what I was wondering!

Eileen, keep on them. Involve the BBB if you need to. Sometimes the clout these consumer protection companies carry makes the difference.

Devon, still dealing with that insurance mess, I gather? 🙂 Hang tight. Somewhere in that mess there's one person who will hear you and help. Sadly, it's not all people in the companies.

Wendy, I love your reading material. 🙂 Store signs are pretty pathetic, too. LOL

Jenn, I agree. However, I know folks who have self-published, hired the editor, and wound up with mistakes galore. I'm not sure what's gone wrong, but somewhere in the process someone is messing things up.

Paula, I'll just tell you. I saw it on TLC. As for in-fighting, everyone wants to be given a fair shake. The difference is when each side's definition of "fair" varies. 🙂

Anne, I don't get it because I cash these checks every month. Every. Single. Month. And every now and then they refuse one. Ridiculous.

]]> By: Cathy https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html#comment-7623 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:26:18 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html/#comment-7623 Thanks, Devon. Thankfully, my Mom, too, is in incredible health. She turns 88 in March. I tell everyone she will be taking care of me in my old age-which is just around the corner. 🙂

]]> By: Anne Wayman https://wordsonpageblog.com/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html#comment-7622 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:03:03 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2011/02/things-that-make-my-head-explode-5.html/#comment-7622 What is it with US banks. They rip us off mortgage-wise and won't cash foreign checks even in US funds. I lost a client over that and had horrendous problems getting paid with another. Have had to make a paypal or western union only policy which sucks.

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