As a proofreader who is also an author, I
have seen typos in my own published work and have no idea how I missed them.
There is some kind of brain glitch that sees what it expects to see, hence, for
example, ‘to’ becomes ‘do’, and the meaning of an entire sentence is lost. We
just have to hope that readers suffer from the same glitch or like our work
enough to overlook the mistakes.
Proofreading errors are bad enough, but
far worse are errors in continuity and these may be harder to spot. For
example, a character may sit at a table while having already done so on the
previous page; someone claims to have come by bus, yet we know he left his car
in the car park; the protagonist is shown into the boss’s office by a blonde
secretary who is a redhead when he comes out.
I have just finished editing a book I
wrote over several years. It started as three novellas which were then glued
together into one novel. Revisiting old material is a challenge anyway but more
so when a book has been written in sections with not enough thought to the
sequence of events. Continuity errors have been a nightmare with this
particular work, and chunks of the narrative had to be rewritten to iron out the
inconsistencies. Proofreading errors, conversely, have been a doddle.
While storytelling is an author’s main
function, there are many other factors that must be borne in mind. An author
must:
1. Create
interesting, believable characters that the readers will care about
2. Provide
them with a plotline that works
3. Weave
any necessary subplots seamlessly into the narrative
4. Be
fluent and grammatically correct in the language of their choice
5. Avoid
spelling and style errors and typos
6. Create
a consistent atmosphere to suit the genre of the work
7. Do
sufficient research to support the credibility of the work
8. Decide
if certain themes, social commentaries or observations are to be included
9. Maintain
the interest of the readers throughout, regardless of their demographic, and
10 Never disappoint their readers with weak endings and plot holes.
While juggling all of the above,
continuity might slide under the radar, but an author must keep track of what
their characters are doing: their movements; appearance; clothes; dialogue; relationships;
backstories; ages; emotions, and so on. Added to that is the need to be aware
of changes in time and place.
That’s a lot of plates to keep spinning!
No wonder errors creep in.
Alas, after you’ve written and submitted your book and you’re sure you’ve created perfection, you might see one of those plates smashed on the ground when a continuity error is finally discovered—but it’s too late, because your book’s been published! A case in point is the book I am currently reading. It’s well written and compelling and the author is prolific and professionally published; however, I noted that the main character asked someone if they had any kin, to be told no, only to ask that same person the same question two pages further on, again with the same response. Given all those spinning plates the author had to keep an eye on, I’d say it happens to the best of us.
Here is a brief intro to Book One of Carol's exciting trilogy.
Banished from Elvendom and forced to seek refuge among the Saxons, young Elgiva faces a grim future - until she crosses paths with Godwin, a Briton enslaved by the people she must now call allies.
When a dark power rises to claim dominion over Elvendom, Elgiva and Godwin set off on a dangerous quest for the legendary Lorestone: the only thing that can stop the looming darkness. With a reluctant elf boy as their guide and a stubborn pony by their side, they must navigate the treacherous land and harness ancient magic before it’s too late.
As battle lines are drawn, Elgiva must embrace her true heritage, and Godwin must learn to wield the secret power he possesses. But can they find the Lorestone in time - or will Elvendom fall forever?
An historical fantasy adventure set in 6th century Britain, THE EXILE OF ELINDEL is the first book in Carol Browne's The Elwardain Chronicles series.
Once upon a time a little girl wrote a poem about a flower. Impressed, her teacher pinned it to the wall and, in doing so, showed the child which path to follow.
Over the years poems and stories flowed from her pen like magic from a wizard’s wand.
She is much older now, a little wiser too, and she lives in rural Cambridgeshire, where there are many trees to hug.
But inside her still is that little girl who loved Nature and discovered the magic of words.
She hopes to live happily ever after.
Stay connected with Carol on her website and blog, Facebook, and Twitter.
