How much do you want to kick yourself when,

[Tabbycat42]

Whenever I read reviews, typos and grammar seem to be the number one complaint. I hate when I have typos because it makes it seems as if I am an amateur, which I am . I try to have someone else look over my work to catch the mistakes that I didn't.

[moderntimes]

Well, per the original thread title, it's frustrating to find you've made a typo after you've "carefully" gone over your material and submitted it to the agent or editor for publication. But it happens. What's rare is if a typo gets through a professional proofread and edit and into publication. Last night, reading a new collection of short stories, I found a small error in a professionally published story. That's pretty rare.

Because typos in professionally published material is rare, I'm wondering what reviews you're talking about, tabby. I review mystery novels for a mystery/thriller website and I therefore read maybe 4-6 books a month, and I rarely find typos or grammatical errors in these books. And unless the book is full of them, I don't mention them at all. Reason being, I don't consider this very negative to the author, because it's possible that a missing comma, etc, is the fault of the typesetters and not the author.

So I really don't find ANY mechanical problems in ANY of the books I review. I do however find bad writing in some of the awful books -- plot holes, poor grammar, and so on. Such as the author using the word "insure" (having an insurance policy) in the place of "ensure" (making certain that something is done). That's the author's fault and then it's the fault of the editors --- they need to spot these sorts of bad grammar mistakes.

[Himmelslicht]

I'm mistyping things all the time. 99% of the time it's because I was distracted and I type too fast, 1% is because I'm a dumb who can't write the word properly, but that's a lot rarer

[moderntimes]

I make plenty of first time typos myself, Himmel. It's okay. When I'm writing, the words jump straight from the brain to the keyboard/screen and I don't worry at all about silly tpyos (ha ha) or spelling -- the idea is to get the words out while you're being creative.

Later I of course fix up the easy errors and that lets me make small revisions, such as if I use the same word too much.

Everyone, all writers make typos and goofy errors. What matters is that afterward, you're able to sift out all those errors and create a clean text for submission to your editor.

[Himmelslicht]

I make plenty of first time typos myself, Himmel. It's okay. When I'm writing, the words jump straight from the brain to the keyboard/screen and I don't worry at all about silly tpyos (ha ha) or spelling -- the idea is to get the words out while you're being creative.

Later I of course fix up the easy errors and that lets me make small revisions, such as if I use the same word too much.

Everyone, all writers make typos and goofy errors. What matters is that afterward, you're able to sift out all those errors and create a clean text for submission to your editor.

I'd love to read your works, maybe one day. Do you have anything posted on the forums?

I don't write... I mean, I only write to myself and also write reviews. I'm a aware as someone who's too hard on herself as on others, that I'm not good enough to be a writer (even though I have the notion that many people like me think they're great writers, ah!), but I take great pride in writing correctly, I can't deny that.

[moderntimes]

Thanks... my writing is spread all over the place now. I'm writing a series of modern American private detective novels. The first 2 were purchased and published a couple years ago. The contract was for the normal 3 years and now has expired, the rights reverting to me again, and so the books are no longer in print. And I'm currently working with a new publisher for my 3rd novel (finished in Sept 2014) and possible reprinting my first 2 books.

I've had short stories, articles, and essays published here and there too. And I write regularly for a mystery website, writing many book reviews. The site is "OverMyDeadBody.com" and I write under my real name "Sam Waas" so you can check Amazon and see whether the books are perhaps available in Kindle or whatever. And of course read my book reviews on that mystery website.

And right now I'm working on a new novel, a supernatural thriller. I've only got about 10,000 words thus far so the book is very much in progress.

[Himmelslicht]

Thanks... my writing is spread all over the place now. I'm writing a series of modern American private detective novels. The first 2 were purchased and published a couple years ago. The contract was for the normal 3 years and now has expired, the rights reverting to me again, and so the books are no longer in print. And I'm currently working with a new publisher for my 3rd novel (finished in Sept 2014) and possible reprinting my first 2 books.

I've had short stories, articles, and essays published here and there too. And I write regularly for a mystery website, writing many book reviews. The site is "OverMyDeadBody.com" and I write under my real name "Sam Waas" so you can check Amazon and see whether the books are perhaps available in Kindle or whatever. And of course read my book reviews on that mystery website.

And right now I'm working on a new novel, a supernatural thriller. I've only got about 10,000 words thus far so the book is very much in progress.

I searched for your books on Amazon. There are no Kindle versions of them but there are a few still on sale (including used). Maybe if one day they come out in Kindle version I won't mind buying one at all

[pretzelsnow]

First scenario and I probably feel like this world is coming to an end. I want to kick myself really hard, enough to make it hurt and for me to feel guilty.

[moderntimes]

Well, pretzel, get angry with yourself and let that anger reflect back to your renewed efforts to create a better story. Turn the energies to the positive direction.