Typos: Who Cares? - Page 9

DiapDealer · 03-03-2020, 11:37 AM

I'm not an "immersive" reader at all, and I tend to blow off the occasional typo** rather easily.

** And no, my use of "the occasional typo" does not equate to the error-laden work of untalented, uneducated, and unprofessional "hacks" (like some in this thread seem to want to make this issue all about for some reason). I use it to refer to the "normal" amount of typos (including by the most professional of authors/editors/ publishers) that has always been a part of preparing novel-length works for distribution, in any format, since the beginning of books.

Apache · 03-03-2020, 12:41 PM

I only notice typos if they are bad enough to throw me out of the book. My wife has to repeat herself when I am reading, if she expects me to realize she is talking to me.

Apache

meeera · 03-04-2020, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4691mls

I've been thinking about some long-ago topic here on MobileRead where we discussed how we experience reading. Some people reported that for them it's almost like watching a movie in their head.

I am not one of those - no matter how engrossing the story may be, I am always aware that I'm reading and seeing words on a page.

When I talk about "almost watching a movie in my head", I'm not actually hallucinating. I'm just immersed in the story and imagining, vividly, while remaining aware that I'm reading.

JSWolf · 03-04-2020, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apache

I only notice typos if they are bad enough to throw me out of the book. My wife has to repeat herself when I am reading, if she expects me to realize she is talking to me.

Apache

If I do notice any typos, I'll highlight them and after I'm done reading, I'll go and fix them in case I ever read it again or someone else reads the book. I do share eBooks sometimes with family.

4691mls · 03-04-2020, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meeera

When I talk about "almost watching a movie in my head", I'm not actually hallucinating. I'm just immersed in the story and imagining, vividly, while remaining aware that I'm reading.

I certainly didn't mean to imply anyone was hallucinating! I was just curious whether people whose imaginations apparently get more vividly involved than mine would pay more attention to the story and less to the type on the page. Based on the few responses, apparently my theory was bunk

gmw · 03-05-2020, 04:16 AM

For myself, I find a strong correlation between how much I am enjoying a book and how few errors I notice. Or to put that the other way around: the more bored or frustrated I am with a book the more problems I notice - too much time took around and notice the dust in the corners and the untrimmed lawn. Keep me interested and the errors don't matter because I'm not seeing them.

Philippe D. · 03-05-2020, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Nowadays most of the pirated books are retail editions. The time of illegal OCR-d books is long past.

I am currently reading Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series on my Kobo ereader, and in the fifth book (Midnight Tides), the conversion to epub was really horrible. The printed book (which I read some years ago) had visual separators when switching from one POV character to another inside a chapter; my epub had no such thing, making transitions pretty confusing. Also, the text had some typos that really looked like they had been caused by faulty OCR, like "AH" where the correct word was clearly "All".

This was with an epub I bought from the same source as I got the others in the series: the Kobo store. The first four books had no such problems (or at least none that I spotted); the sixth one, which I'm currently reading, doesn't seem to have then either.

Is there an easy way to see which company produced a given epub? I'd like to compare between the various books. If it was the same company, they had some serious quality control problems on this one book.

DiapDealer · 03-05-2020, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

For myself, I find a strong correlation between how much I am enjoying a book and how few errors I notice. Or to put that the other way around: the more bored or frustrated I am with a book the more problems I notice - too much time took around and notice the dust in the corners and the untrimmed lawn. Keep me interested and the errors don't matter because I'm not seeing them.

Well put. I'm very much the same way. And since I don't tend to continue reading books that bore/frustrate me, or that I'm not enjoying, I don't tend to notice very many errors.

4691mls · 03-05-2020, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Well put. I'm very much the same way. And since I don't tend to continue reading books that bore/frustrate me, or that I'm not enjoying, I don't tend to notice very many errors.

I can imagine you going to an interview for a proofreading job and explaining that you can proofread only books that are very boring so that you will see every error

DiapDealer · 03-05-2020, 11:42 AM

Man, that is so NOT a gig I'd be applying for!

But seriously ... I have an editor's hat I can put on if I need to (for brief periods of time). But I don't wear that hat when reading for pure pleasure.

Wearing the editor's hat means I won't be in my favorite chair. With one hand on my favorite rocks glass. Containing whatever spirit du jour has caught my fancy. Reading something I've been looking forward to.

DNSB · 03-05-2020, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Wearing the editor's hat means I won't be in my favorite chair. With one hand on my favorite rocks glass. Containing whatever spirit du jour has caught my fancy. Reading something I've been looking forward to.

Is there an inverse correlation between the level in your favourite rocks glass and your enjoyment of the book?

DiapDealer · 03-05-2020, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Is there an inverse correlation between the level in your favourite rocks glass and your enjoyment of the book?

There's definitely a direct correlation between the level and my focus.

rkomar · 03-05-2020, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

There's definitely a direct correlation between the level and my focus.

Then you should keep the glass topped up!

4691mls · 03-06-2020, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

Is there an inverse correlation between the level in your favourite rocks glass and your enjoyment of the book?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

There's definitely a direct correlation between the level and my focus.

Ah - I don't drink -perhaps that's why typos bother me more?

Sirtel · 03-06-2020, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4691mls

Ah - I don't drink -perhaps that's why typos bother me more?

Yeah, same. Well, it's a known fact teetotalers are not normal.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Free (Kindle) Bewildering Cares by Winifred Peck [Vintage WWII Homefront Literary]	ATDrake	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	0	05-30-2017 10:47 PM
If JK Rowling Cares About Writing, She Should Stop Doing It	jgaiser	General Discussions	60	03-03-2014 01:25 AM
Amazon Pre-order: A Comedy of Who Cares?	wdi	Amazon Kindle	19	11-23-2011 01:45 PM
colour eink devices - who cares???	mpd123	General Discussions	47	11-07-2011 12:16 AM
Seriously thoughtful My message to the male population (and anyone else who cares to read)	Spoon Man	Lounge	22	05-31-2010 01:10 PM

03-03-2020, 11:37 AM	#121
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,577 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I'm not an "immersive" reader at all, and I tend to blow off the occasional typo rather easily. And no, my use of "the occasional typo" does not equate to the error-laden work of untalented, uneducated, and unprofessional "hacks" (like some in this thread seem to want to make this issue all about for some reason). I use it to refer to the "normal" amount of typos (including by the most professional of authors/editors/ publishers) that has always been a part of preparing novel-length works for distribution, in any format, since the beginning of books.

03-03-2020, 12:41 PM	#122
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,277 Karma: 90000484 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	I only notice typos if they are bad enough to throw me out of the book. My wife has to repeat herself when I am reading, if she expects me to realize she is talking to me. Apache

03-05-2020, 04:16 AM	#126
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	For myself, I find a strong correlation between how much I am enjoying a book and how few errors I notice. Or to put that the other way around: the more bored or frustrated I am with a book the more problems I notice - too much time took around and notice the dust in the corners and the untrimmed lawn. Keep me interested and the errors don't matter because I'm not seeing them.

03-05-2020, 11:42 AM	#130
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,577 Karma: 204127028 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Man, that is so NOT a gig I'd be applying for! But seriously ... I have an editor's hat I can put on if I need to (for brief periods of time). But I don't wear that hat when reading for pure pleasure. Wearing the editor's hat means I won't be in my favorite chair. With one hand on my favorite rocks glass. Containing whatever spirit du jour has caught my fancy. Reading something I've been looking forward to.