How do you go about telling an author about a typo error? I always hesitate, because there might be many more people telling them also, but I was just wondering about the format.

Do you identify the word and tell them in what numbered paragraph it is? Copy the paragraph and highlight the word? (if that's possible in an email) Other suggestions?

Can it be in comments? should it be by private email?

An inquiring consumer wants to know

I think a private note is nicer, especially if it's not someone you know. And my usual approach is to copy the paragraph and say something like, "It looked to me like you wanted to say X instead of Y" or "Did you maybe mean X instead of Y?"

If it's an author I know well, and it's one small error in an otherwise correct fic, I might point it out in a comments thread.

Or, privately, with a friend, I can skip that and just say Typo Alert!

Typos happen to everyone, but I always operate on the assumption that the author would like to *know* about the problem so he/she can *fix* it.

PJ

Yeah, don't see most authors having a problem with being told, so long as it's polite. Can't see you having a problem there, Trenna.

Sometimes if it's the odd one that caught my eye while reading I'll include it in a comments folder. But if it's more than a few, I'd probably prefer to do by email. If only for the fact that I just think that it's kind of a boring thing to put in a comments folder. I always feel it's more nuts and bolts stuff, you know? Relevent and important to the author, but not necessarily interesting for the majority of readers.

But certainly, at a personal level, I don't mind how anyone tells me, so long as they do and I get to fix it, rather than spotting it six years later and banging my head on the keyboard.

LabRat

BTW, the same thing goes for websites. If you're browsing a website and you see a typo, let the person know. I know I'm always eternally grateful when people tell me about typos rather than, as Rat said, banging my head on the keyboard much much later.

~Anna

Joining in with a "me too." I'd much rather know if there is a typo (or many typos) in my story. I have no problem with people pointing them out, as long as it's polite, though I do admit that it's always nicer when the nuts and bolts stuff is softened by comments about the actual story. It can be a little frustrating when it seems the only thing people notice are typos. However, even that makes a good point. Typos are extremely distracting. I'd rather have someone point it out early, even if it irritates me a tiny bit at the time, than to let it sit there for ages distracting people who aren't speaking up. As for the public/private debate, I tend to point those things out privately when I do, unless I know the person and I know they'll find the typo funny. I know I've had a number of freudian typos that have slipped through up until the posting stage, and both I and my BRs find it hysterical when someone else points out one of those.

My two cents worth,
Annie

/me agrees with everything everyone has said. I always want to know if I have a typo. Any way you point it out either in the comments folder or in private email, I know I won't take it the wrong way.

- Alicia

Thanks, I've always been hesitant to do so, cause I don't want people to think I'm picking their stories to pieces. If I ever write, and make typos - tell me!)

I have a kinda related question. There has been a few times where I've read something on the Archive and I've noticed typos or a continuity error. (I recently read a story and noticed L&C were talking about a person and using her real name, however they didn't find it out til later on in the story.) So what do you do if you see something like that on an Archived story? I wouldn't be as reluctant to point it out on the mb, but with the Archive I don't know how easy it would be to fix it, or even if the author would want to, if it meant a lot of hassle. I never said anything to the author, but just wondering if it would be stepping over the line.

Loriel

It is a bit more work to fix stories on the archive, but not too bad. Lauren will make little changes for you (she's updated my email address), or you can send her a new, edited text file.

My reaction to typos, continuity errors, etc, would depend a lot on what I knew about the author. Some are really anxious to improve as writers, so I assume they'd want to know; some others are just having a fun time and don't bother too much over details. If I had no idea... well, if I were writing feedback mail anyway, I'd probably slip it in there. But I wouldn't just send the correction all by itself.

PJ

Just to clarify this one. Yes, the Archive will replace a file now and then. It's a bit more work for Lauren, so we wouldn't like to see it happening en masse or too frequently <g>, but if an author is desperate to correct something we'll certainly do that for them.

But I must point out that the Archive will only accept a replacement file or edit from the author of the story. Not from anyone else who has happened to notice an error in the file.

Archive GEs, of course, specifically don't comment on plot or characterisation. It's not in their remit. They are really only there to provide a last minute 'final polish' to submissions, picking up the odd typo and punctuation and grammar error that the author and/or beta reader have missed. Of course, they often end up picking up a lot more errors than they really should have to and we do ask all authors to try and ensure that their punctuation, grammar and typo errors have been eliminated to the very best of their ability before they submit a story to the Archive. We like to make life as easy for our volunteer GEs as we can possibly get and do appreciate the co-operation there.

It is true to say that authors run the range from those who want every last period and comma to be right and those who really don't care at all how the story is presented - though I still believe that the former is more prevalent in this fandom than the latter. So you'll pretty much take pot luck if you mail an author to let them know about something you've spotted out of place in their story as uploaded to the Archive. It may be the case, for instance, that their GE has already pointed out the error, but that the author has insisted it stay. In which case they certainly won't be receptive to getting an email about it. Other authors will immediately scream and run to the EIC wanting the story replaced ASAP. <g>

LabRat

Thanks.

If I recognised the author from the fic list or posting on the mb, I'd maybe say something, if I was sending feedback. The only time I ever send just corrections is when my friends ask me beta something before they post it.

Don't worry, I'd feel bad enough, pointing it out to the author, never mind anyone else!

I'm going to blame my friend for this, thanks to her I can't read *anything* without putting on my 'beta reader's hat', I've even caught myself noticing mistakes/typos in published books! I'm nowhere near as bad as she is tho!

Loriel

LOL, Loriel - yup, beta reading does work its way into the blood over time. So true.

LabRat

The worst of it is, that while I notice typos or continuity errors with great ease, my grammer isn't the best. I can do the basic, and I notice the really bad stuff, but there has been many occassions where we both beta for another friend - I do the continuity/typos and (supposedly) the grammer and my then first friend will take what I've done and beta it again! My only consolation is that I'm usually way better at the continuity!

Loriel

Don't worry, Loriel - that's why most of us like to have more than one beta. So that we can play to the strengths and weaknesses of each one. Some are really good at suggesting ideas, others are really hot at picking up typos. It's all good and I'm sure your friend appreciates the input.

LabRat

So what about those of us who have ALWAYS been unable to read without noticing typos? (Actually, in a couple books that I reread often, I know where the funny typos are... just like where the best scenes are. )

And actually, I've read that, typos really ARE becoming more prevalent. Many publishers have been finding profits thinner in our electronic age, and editing is one of the places they tend to cut back. :rolleyes: And overworked editors make more mistakes.