First off, I have the most wonderful and talented editor ever for my stuff. However, there is this respect thing going on. I need to have my manuscripts in the most squeaky clean form I can accomplish. Anything else is disrespectful to my editor, who’s time is important and who shouldn’t have to wade through silliness in my opinion. 

No one, however good they might think they are, can disassociate themselves from their own manuscript so completely that it is going to be perfect for the reading public.There comes that blind moment from having read over the words so many times that a little aberration slips through. 

I note there is some discussion on the web about indy writers not using editors. All the self-published writers I know do employ professional editors. That is not to say some misguided souls don’t, but just that those who are my dear friends do. This is our language and as such, it must be kept clean from errors for the enjoyment of our readers. 

Now why has journalism dipped down into the toilet regions with rampant typos and illogical grammar? These guys take a degree to gain access to their trade, just like us. So why, oh why do I find howlers on the pages of respected newspapers? Where has proofreading gone?

Let me put it this way. Once an author has finished a work, that author will send it out to qualified friends to beta read. Those same qualified friends, usually authors in their own right, will go through the manuscript and pick out anything not in kilter for whatever reason. We do this to attain the best possible product before it goes to an editor. The editor will then catch anything missed and will also make great suggestions for enhancing the storyline. This ensures the product goes out to the reader in the very best shape ever. 

Journalists? Shakes head. I used to be the reporting editor for my local newspaper. I would snare people into beta reading to ensure my copy was good before it went to print. This is not difficult. Why isn’t it being done on a national level? Sighs.