# typos, boo boos and more...



## trip (Dec 27, 2010)

Have you noticed lots of errors in your Kindle books? The last one I read was loaded with boo boos. I wonder if they are edited as they go through the process from book to kindle. It bugs me


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

There are a number of threads on the subject here. It's not just ebooks, it's also happening with printed ones.

Mike


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

if you are talking about older trade pubbed books, MANY of those were written before computer files, and so have to be scanned from the book version, run through an Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software program to make a digitized version. Now, here's the kicker. Only VERY popular books do they take the next step, and have someone proofread for errors, and OCR *can* contain MANY errors. It doesn't have to, but it takes more due diligence on the part of the publisher to make sure the books are truly worthy of readership.

When Jean M Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear series was first put out last year, they had been HORRIBLY OCR'd.. sometimes up to 10 errors PER PAGE. MANY people complained, after all we had been waiting 30 years for the finish to the saga. (And George RR Martin fans think THEY have it rough HA!) The books were corrected, and clean versions were sent out to those who had purchased the crappy ones.


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## ML Hamilton (Feb 21, 2011)

I agree a lot of OCR books have horrible errors, but I don't think that's the only problem. I also agree that there seems to be a lack of proof reading all around. Sometimes it's so bad, the text is not readable. Please, please find people to proof your work for you. Even if you don't think it's important, it's the first thing that pulls the readers out of the adventure and makes them remember where they are.


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## ciscokid (Oct 10, 2010)

I find errors in printed books all of the time too.  Maybe its the teacher in me that makes them pop out.


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## unitbit (Jul 22, 2011)

trip said:


> Have you noticed lots of errors in your Kindle books? The last one I read was loaded with boo boos. I wonder if they are edited as they go through the process from book to kindle. It bugs me


Actually yes, last night I was reading and I noticed several... that bugs me badly!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

If you note errors in an ebook, especially if there are enough that it is a real problem, you have a couple of options.

If it's within 7 days, just return the book for a full refund. Contact Kindle Customer Support. It's dead easy and they won't give you any trouble.

If it's more than 7 days, you might still contact and ask if they'll do a refund for you. Sometimes they will if the manuscript is in bad enough shape.

In either case, REPORT it. There's a link at the bottom of every ebook page with a feedback button. My understanding is that Amazon passes this feedback on to the publishers and if there are enough complaints, books will be pulled, fixed, and re-loaded. If the publisher requests it, folks who purchased it before (and still have it) will get email offering the newer version.

Of course, if you write a review, you can mention any formatting/editing/OCR errors therein. . .and if it's subsequently fixed, you can go back to your review and edit it to reflect that. . . . .


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## Indy (Jun 7, 2010)

The title of this thread made me remember what is probably the funniest error I've seen to date.  My ex, is a writer who hasn't published anything yet.  As much as I can't stand him, I would totally buy one particular series... oh it might happen to be the one I proofread by hand.  There is still an error in there somewhere, in a latenight proofreading session I accidentally let the thing change a girl's last name from "fermachuck" to "pharmaceutical."  I was mortified, even worse when I couldn't find the darn thing again!

Ok but that's not the worst one.  Once I had a handwritten bunch of his stuff in my work bag and was going over it one night when nothing else was going on... and I come across what's supposed to be the word "booze."  It was spelled "boos" and I just about wet my pants laughing.  Of course it was passed around the entire night shift so they would see why I was in hysterics.  The ex, eh wasn't seeing the funny.  He's also the reason I want the phrase "way too" stricken from the english language altogether.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

jmiked said:


> There are a number of threads on the subject here. It's not just ebooks, it's also happening with printed ones.
> 
> Mike


People keep writing this, but by NO means do I see the same number or type of errors in printed books.

Now I will say that I see way too many errors in mainstream published e-books. At least indies & self-pubs, have some excuses IMO...& they dont charge as much. But for what the big publishers usually charge for fiction, I think it's terrible...poor quality for the $.


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## WriterCTaylor (Jul 11, 2011)

Maybe it's just me, but I seem to notice a lot of the mistakes are the same. I have read loose instead of lose and mixing up their and there more than I can remember. I get quite annoyed, especially when I know first hand the amount of time authors and everyone else have to read and reread any work that is to be released. I am not an independent author, but even with very small niche publishers, the onus is on the author for the majority of the process.


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## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

trip said:


> Have you noticed lots of errors in your Kindle books? The last one I read was loaded with boo boos. I wonder if they are edited as they go through the process from book to kindle. It bugs me


I can handle a few typos but it annoys me if there are so many they distract from the story.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

I recently found two of my old favorites had been kindleized and since they were only $4.79 each, I snapped them right up. The first one was a disaster with multiple errors on almost every page.

I didn't bother reporting it since I reported that another book had several pages of scanned adverts in it and Amazon CS refused to give me a refund or at least report it to the publisher.

The second book was pretty much free of errors. 

Couldn't they just pay someone an extra $20 bucks to read through the book and see what pops out at them? It doesn't take a trained proof reader to find that many errors. I think we can all live with a few errors but not hundreds of errors in one book.

I might just reread that book and send the publisher a list of all the OCR errors just to see what they do about it.


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## C.G.Ayling (Aug 25, 2011)

Editing your own work is incredibly difficult.  The urge to press the "publish" button is quite strong and also tempting.

Self publishing certainly increases the likelihood of little errors creeping into works.


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## rweinstein6 (Aug 2, 2011)

I think it's important to remember when reading that no matter how much or how little an editor is paid, or how expensive the computer, nothing will ever be perfect or typo/error free. That's why I don't mention typos/errors in any of my reviews unless it's super obvious that there has been no effort at proofreading. As in, the errors must be so pervasive that it disrupts the flow of the story. If you think about it, a 75,000 word manuscript that has a 1% error rate has 750 typose/errors. If the book is 200 pages long, that's almost 4 typos a page. Feel free to play with those numbers, I just pulled them out of my head. Not sure how many pages 75,000 words is, but you get the idea.


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## JFHilborne (Jan 22, 2011)

I've read several ebooks where formatting errors occurred throughout the entire book and it ruined the read for me. Good editing and proofreading is critical, and even more so for a self-published author. Don't let the urge to publish ruin your career before it even gets started. Most readers won't give you a second chance, even for 99c.


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## Not Here (May 23, 2011)

rweinstein6 said:


> I think it's important to remember when reading that no matter how much or how little an editor is paid, or how expensive the computer, nothing will ever be perfect or typo/error free. That's why I don't mention typos/errors in any of my reviews unless it's super obvious that there has been no effort at proofreading. As in, the errors must be so pervasive that it disrupts the flow of the story. If you think about it, a 75,000 word manuscript that has a 1% error rate has 750 typose/errors. If the book is 200 pages long, that's almost 4 typos a page. Feel free to play with those numbers, I just pulled them out of my head. Not sure how many pages 75,000 words is, but you get the idea.


I'm actually the opposite. I note errors because I want people to see that a number of indie books contain very few errors and, in general, match trad publishing. Of course there are some that don't meet those standards but in those cases I just don't do reviews. I'm out to help, not hurt people.


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## JFHilborne (Jan 22, 2011)

4 typos a page would ruin the read for me and turn me off the author. Far too many. A 75,000 word novel with 750 typos/errors would indicate it was not edited or proofread. No excuse.


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## Amyshojai (May 3, 2010)

I'm reading a traditionally pub'd (hardcover) debut book now and finally gave up--not because of typos (although there were several) but because 50 pages into the book and the author continued giving back-story info-dumps AND head-hopping. Arg! This book had cover blurbs from 4 of my fav authors, too--another reason I chose to spend so much and get the autograph at the signing event. Sounded like a great premise but sheesh. Now I wonder about those "blurbs" and if the other folks actually read it or just gave the blurbs out of professional courtesy.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

9MMare said:


> People keep writing this, but by NO means do I see the same number or type of errors in printed books.


I didn't say there were.

Mike


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## jackKate (Aug 7, 2011)

Amyshojai said:


> I'm reading a traditionally pub'd (hardcover) debut book now and finally gave up--not because of typos (although there were several) but because 50 pages into the book and the author continued giving back-story info-dumps AND head-hopping.


Any flash-sideways? I always loved that movie "Funny Farm", the horrors of Andy Farmer's great novel.


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

I've noticed formatting errors in a number of eBooks from mainstream publishers. I downloaded a Stephanie Laurens book yesterday (to re-read as I enjoyed it as a paperback) and there are random streams of code that just appear for no reason. Very strange. I've noticed htis before - wondering if it's popular books that the publisher have rushed out onto Kindle without properly formatting.


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## Not Here (May 23, 2011)

Grace Elliot said:


> I've noticed formatting errors in a number of eBooks from mainstream publishers. I downloaded a Stephanie Laurens book yesterday (to re-read as I enjoyed it as a paperback) and there are random streams of code that just appear for no reason. Very strange. I've noticed htis before - wondering if it's popular books that the publisher have rushed out onto Kindle without properly formatting.


Some of it is just that publishers use crappy software to transfer over the books. Although I understand it is costly to hire someone to just switch things over but it's also costly to buy a book that is riddled with formatting issues. Hopefully they will get things sorted soon.


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## Ann Chambers (Apr 24, 2011)

I just finished reading Dixie Divas and it has lots of formatting weirdness in it.

I got it when it was briefly free, and it's a fun little cozy mystery, but the amount of formatting junk (including strange characters inserted into the middle of words, etc.) was really aggravating. I went to it's page on Amazon and it is now $8.76. The sequel, Drop Dead Divas is 9.99. This is a book from a regular publisher. So disappointed in them. 
I would still recommend Dixie Divas as a fun read, but no way would I ever pay the 9.99 for the next one, even tho I enjoyed the characters and would like to read more of their adventures. I'd be furious about the formatting problems if I'd paid lots of money for it.
Here's the Dixie Divas link if anyone is looking for a fun cozy.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=Dixie+Divas


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## FeliciaRicci (Sep 1, 2011)

If there are formatting errors in an e-book, whose fault is it? What if the service converts your .pdf for you -- do you get to glance at it before it becomes available? Or do most authors format and convert their files themselves?


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## normcowie (Jun 21, 2011)

I find errors in my own books, but then I find the same errors in almost every book I read, best sellers included. I saw a whopper in a Barry Eisler book once, and shot him an email. He emailed back that he has an entire page in his website devoted to bloopers.

They happen, folks, despite your best efforts. I try not to let them ruin my enjoyment of an otherwise fun story.


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## Simon Haynes (Mar 14, 2011)

The best way to find a typo is to follow the sentence with your finger, reading each word aloud as you're looking at it. Trouble is, it'll take about three days to complete the average novel and you'll lose your voice after eight hours.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

jmiked said:


> I didn't say there were.
> 
> Mike


Well I included you in a group but that is how I interpreted your statement "it's not just e-books it's also happening with printed ones."


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

FeliciaRicci said:


> If there are formatting errors in an e-book, whose fault is it? What if the service converts your .pdf for you -- do you get to glance at it before it becomes available? Or do most authors format and convert their files themselves?


As this thread is in the book corner, let's keep discussion on reaction to typos etc. from a reader viewpoint. If anyone is interested in things from the production side, there are frequently discussions in the Writer's Cafe about how to produce the best possible manuscript for publication.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Simon Haynes said:


> The best way to find a typo is to follow the sentence with your finger, reading each word aloud as you're looking at it. Trouble is, it'll take about three days to complete the average novel and you'll lose your voice after eight hours.


Or you can stick it on your Kindle and have the Text to speech feature read your book to you. It's not hard to put your own documents onto the Kindle.


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## GerrieFerrisFinger (Jun 1, 2011)

JFHilborne said:


> 4 typos a page would ruin the read for me and turn me off the author. Far too many. A 75,000 word novel with 750 typos/errors would indicate it was not edited or proofread. No excuse.


Yikes, four a page! I wouldn't finish the first chapter. Part of the publishing process is submitting a clean, error-free copy to agent, editor or publisher, even if it's you.

Any writer who doesn't do so, is not respecting his own work. So why should I?

JMHO


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## Christopher Hunter (Apr 11, 2011)

Maybe it's just the Indie Author in me, but I refuse to slam a book for typos. If the errors are too many, and I mean TOO many, then I'll drop the book cold, same thing with formatting. But if I can tell the author is trying, I'll make some notes and email that author if I can. As readers we have the power to make the story better. We have the power to solve the problem. Sometimes, that's the only thing missing. Just that extra set of eyes. I find it way more helpful than just complaining about it. Now do I expect all readers or even a fraction of readers to follow my lead? No. But do I think I'm a better than average person for taking such an approach? You go**amn right I do!


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## rweinstein6 (Aug 2, 2011)

JFHilborne said:


> 4 typos a page would ruin the read for me and turn me off the author. Far too many. A 75,000 word novel with 750 typos/errors would indicate it was not edited or proofread. No excuse.


I'm not saying it's an excuse, it's that a 1% rate puts that at like 4 errors a page. Two a page would be 1/2 of 1%. At this point...what would the rate be for an error every two pages, or every five? At that point, it's kind of nit-picking.


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

Man, ewe peeple expekt uhlot frum a riter... 



The truth is that a book can be proofed by a dozen people, and there will still be typos. There are just some words the eye glosses over and the brain corrects. I cringe when I see some typos, but unless there's bunches, I don't do more than blink an extra time or two.

I've picked up a couple of books lately, though, that have just jarred me out of the story because of the excess of poor spelling (that cannot be from typos alone) and horrific grammar. Not indies, either...


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Just got a notice from Amazon that they are replacing Trio for Blunt Instruments, a Nero Wolfe mystery, because of typos that were corrected.


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## Collin Moshman (Sep 1, 2011)

If the author occasionally forgets a quote mark or misspells a word, that's something I'm very willing to overlook if the book is otherwise good.  But anything approaching an average of one typo per page, or even one type per couple of pages, is way too many IMO.


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

For me, it's not about typos or minor stuff. It's about people needing substantive editors (and proofreaders). I find things that are disconnected grammatically or disorganized plot-wise to be annoying even when minor...because an EDITOR should catch that stuff even when the writer is too close to it to pick it up (I know, I'm a writer). 

I wrote elsewhere...I read a bargain ebook about a paramedic in Saudi Arabia that had entire paragraphs misplaced occasionally, not to mention typos, etc. And he was not a professional writer by any means. But he told a good story and I enjoyed that book alot. I forgave all the electronic translation issues and they didnt ruin the book for me.

I take the same issue (about poor editing) with regular books. My main example is Patricia Cornwall...horrendous editing and storyline missteps...I blamed mostly the editor for not catching and fixing. And never went back to that author (she is dead to me now! J/k).


I'm starting to think that some authors are trying to blame book sales/popularity on errors. For me personally, that is not the case.


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## JFHilborne (Jan 22, 2011)

Collin Moshman said:


> If the author occasionally forgets a quote mark or misspells a word, that's something I'm very willing to overlook if the book is otherwise good. But anything approaching an average of one typo per page, or even one type per couple of pages, is way too many IMO.


Agreed.


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## pfenton (Sep 8, 2011)

I came across a typo in an ebook which never fails to make me smile when I think about it.  The book is by one S. King, and in it, the main character is recalling a tender moment when his girlfriend "wrapped her anus around his neck."

I think it was supposed to be "arms", though the image is a keeper.


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## rweinstein6 (Aug 2, 2011)

pfenton said:


> I came across a typo in an ebook which never fails to make me smile when I think about it. The book is by one S. King, and in it, the main character is recalling a tender moment when his girlfriend "wrapped her anus around his neck."
> 
> I think it was supposed to be "arms", though the image is a keeper.


That is quite an image, and quite a feat on the girlfriend's part! lol


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## trip (Dec 27, 2010)

Here is an explanation to why all the typos.

http://www.juliesjournalonline.com/?p=1544


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## GerrieFerrisFinger (Jun 1, 2011)

jmiked said:


> There are a number of threads on the subject here. It's not just ebooks, it's also happening with printed ones.
> 
> Mike


True this is a reocurring subjec and rightly so. Hopefully those who don't bother getting an outside editor (even editors need an editor, I know I was one) will get the message. Fingers crossed.


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

Here's my issue with the writer/editor paradigm:

When you go to a restaurant, a chef makes your meal. That's it. There is no editor-chef who needs to correct all of the errors the first chef made. If the first chef made a ton of errors, he'd be fired.

When you go to a concert, the band plays the song. That's it. There is no editor-band that needs to correct all of the errors the first band made. (Which would make for a really long, strange concert.)

My point is, we have all of these artistic professions in our society where we reasonably expect the artist to do the job right on their own. We don't expect them to make a ton of mistakes and require a whole second full-time person to fix their mistakes.

So why is writing different?

Musicians and painters and cooks can be tortured artists, but we wouldn't respect them if they couldn't deliver the goods. A great guitarist is great because they have the skills, even if they have no formal training or experience. 

Yet writers are expected to "only" be storytellers with no strong grasp of spelling or grammar and thus require the services of an editor to "fix" their art, no matter how well educated or experienced they are. 

Does that seem wrong to anyone else?


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## B. Justin Shier (Apr 1, 2011)

trip said:


> Here is an explanation to why all the typos.
> 
> http://www.juliesjournalonline.com/?p=1544


You've got one pretty site there. Nice post too.

B.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Joseph Robert Lewis said:


> Here's my issue with the writer/editor paradigm:
> 
> When you go to a restaurant, a chef makes your meal. That's it. There is no editor-chef who needs to correct all of the errors the first chef made. If the first chef made a ton of errors, he'd be fired.
> 
> ...


Well, before the Chef gets to cook, he's had lots of practice, and mentoring and advice from more experienced chefs.

And before the band gets to perform on their own, they've had lessons and practice, and mentoring and advice from experienced musicians.

One could argue that good editors act as the mentors and advisers. And the authors should be practicing too, before they put their work out professionally for money.


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

Ann in Arlington said:


> One could argue that good editors act as the mentors and advisers. And the authors should be practicing too, before they put their work out professionally for money.


Absolutely, everyone has a training period, but what about when someone has "arrived" in their profession? The ongoing expectation is that the chef's food will be good and the musician's performance will be good, but the writer's book will still need editing.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Even when they've arrived 'in their profession'. . . . .and I know some musicians who make their living from gigging, writing music, and recording . . . .they spend CONSIDERABLE time practicing, rehearsing and, yes, getting feedback from other professionals.  They don't expect their first efforts at any new piece will be perfect. . .and they know what is needed to get it as close to that as possible.  

I can't speak specifically to chefs as I only know one personally and he no longer works in that profession. . . .but even when he's just cooking for friends he'll ask for feedback about new recipes he tries.


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## Harry Shannon (Jul 30, 2010)

We've caught some small things in my new one, and we're polishing and uploading it for a second time. I may be a terrible proofer, but learned ten years ago to ask for help. I'm grateful when readers point things out. No book is ever perfect, but we can try. We owe the reader that much.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

I think it's worth pointing out here that, even when I've had a novel published by a major house, I read the manuscript through, so does my wife, so does my editor and her copy editor, then I get sent proofs to check, which are subsequently checked again by a professional proofreader ... and a couple of typos STILL manage to slip through. But with my own stuff on Kindle, I try to keep those to the absolute bare minimum.


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