Sometimes I really do worry about my ability to see things. I don't mean in everyday life - I mean in my own stories.
This isn't the first time that I've done this very stupid thing - I referred to it in my post 'Proofreeding Your Story' a while back.
So what is it I've done? Well. I've managed once again to send off a story with not one, but TWO characters who change their name halfway through! This was after I had read it through many times and my husband had also proofread it (no, I'm not blaming him!)
I am just lucky that the very lovely People's Friend liked it enough to kindly point this out and ask for a re-write. I would not have been surprised if they had just thrown it straight in the bin or in the rejection pile. I think this shows three things.
1. I am a hopeless proofreader
2. I don't learn form my mistakes
3.The People's Friend are a lovely to work for
If you find any typos or other mistakes in my posts, you now know why!
Please make me feel better by saying I am not the only one to have done something so annoyingly silly.
I'm not sure how you can catch this easily as I know when I proofread and even read aloud sometimes the brain inserts words it THINKS should be there, but in reality aren't. If your lovely proofreading husband doesn't mind then you could ask him to read stories aloud and then see if you can spot any howlers. But don't get hung up on this as you are selling stories!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tracy. It just makes me feel so amateurish! I have heard of a computer programme that reads back your work but I can't remember where I saw it and not sure if it is osmething that would work anyway. Maybe I'll just stick with my husband!
DeleteYou are not alone, Wendy. I am terrible at proof reading my own work. But isn't it lovely how the PF don't look at mistakes, but at the story itself :-) x
ReplyDeleteI know, Teresa. We are lucky to write for them.
DeleteSometimes my characters have three different names and a sex change during a 1,000 word story.
ReplyDeleteThe only way I can catch things like that is to proofread as carefully as possible, then write something else and come back to it after I've had time to slightly forget what I meant to write.
This often helps quite a lot, but I'm still not immune from sending things out with daft mistakes.
A sex change as well, Patsy - I haven't gone that far with my characters yet!
DeleteWhilst recently putting together a compliation of short stories, I noticed a) in one story both main characters changed their names part way through, and b) I had often used the same character names in more than one story. So no, you're definitely not alone, Wendy!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad it's not just me, Jenny!
DeleteOh, that's so easy to do. If I'm changing someone's name I now use 'find and replace' to make sure I caught all the mentions of the original name. It's amazing how your own eye doesn't spot those things.
ReplyDeleteI do that if I'm deliberately changing their names - it's when it's not deliberate that the problems arise, Joanne!
DeleteHey Wendy, I've really enjoyed reading your blog so I'm nominating you for the Liebster's Award.
ReplyDeleteTo find out more, and to accept the nomination check out my post:
http://nowrittenwords.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/libesters-award/
Keep Blogging!
Take Care, Cat
Wow thanks Cat! that's very kind of you. I'm off to walk Bonnie and then will pop over to your blog.
ReplyDeleteI think proofreading is the hardest job of all, Wendy! I can't believe how many times it takes to pick up the most obvious typos etc - even after several reads. Glad PF are still so great to work with and it shows how much they liked your story - well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rosemary. It's a nightmare, isn't it!
DeleteOh dear!
ReplyDeleteTry waiting a week between writing it and doign the final edit. Also try reading the story aloud - you catch different mistakes that way!
Very sound advice. My problem is I am too impatient to get them sent out.
Delete