Marking errata in your books

[pogre]

I write errata directly into the books. I also use filing stickers to index important pages. It makes using the book much easier.

If I plan on reselling the book I don't mark it at all.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

I grab a pen, cross out the offending text and write the correct text in its place, either above the line or in the margins. Or, if there is a particularly large chunk to replace, I print it out in an appropriately small font and firmly tape it down over the old text.

To me, books are not "sacred things". They are like my battered old leather jacket or my trusty combat boots - regular parts of my life that I cherish and leave my mark upon through continual use. A book is an extension of my head-space and is therefore open to amendment, revision and expansion. Many of my non-gaming books have little thoughts scribbled here and there in the margins, sections underlined for emphasis and stuff like that. I enjoy going back to them years later and poring over the brain-morsels that I have left scattered throughout. Novels and works of fiction don't get this treatment - instead they end up getting carried around in my pocket, spines cracked, pages creased and dog-eared, ink smudged as they are read and re-read over the years. I love my books, and it shows.

Leave the pristine page for the library. They are your books - cover them with your funky, dirty word-love and they will only thank you for it.

I pretty much agree with this entire post. There are a few examples of books I wouldn't write in - encyclopedias, rare or collector's editions, etc. - but paperbacks, textbooks (especially ones I plan to keep) and game books are fair game. Paperbacks are essentially disposable, textbooks and game books are utilitarian and work well with notes jotted in to clarify points for a specific reader. I love books, and personalizing them seems natural to me.

 

[el-remmen]

Yeah, they are just game rulebooks meant to have convenient access to the correct rules. I would just write in them - it is not like the errata is going to change - and if it does white it out and go at it again.

I even write house rules into my PHB - there is a big funky asterisk in blue permanent marker next to every spell that I have house ruled so you know to look up the changes on the wiki.

 

[the Jester]

I am not one bit reluctant to write in my books. It's all about practicality. But then, I don't buy them for 'collecting' but rather to use.

YMMV, of course.

 

[Digital M@]

I find it funny that so many people won't write in books. After all, a book is notihing but writing and pictures. If notes will help keep things clear, then pencil them in. I don't like post-its and page markers because they are clumsy. One or two are OK, but 15-20 sticking out of a book doesn't really help with organization.


Write in the book.

 

[Mark CMG]

EN Worlder Painfully does about the best job I've ever seen with setting his books up for game play and marking them up with all pertinent errata and such. Hopefully, he'll pop in here and share his insights.

 

[Duncan Haldane]

I remember way back when Dragon published errata for the 1st ed Unearthed Arcana, which was done in the same font and printed in paragraphs so you could chop up the errata and tape them over the offending paragraphs in UA.

But for myself I don't like writing in my books - I like them to look nice
I was also taught in a speed reading course that highlighting a page makes it very hard for your eye to look over any part that isn't highlighted, so that the next time you go to read the section it is very hard to read it all.

Instead I was taught just use a pencil to mark the side of a paragraph you wish to mark for importance.

I was going to suggest pencil in numbers of errata myself, but someone beat me to it with a very similar suggestion.

Duncan

 

[Glyfair]

I find it funny that so many people won't write in books. After all, a book is notihing but writing and pictures. If notes will help keep things clear, then pencil them in.

Some people have trained themselves that condition is paramount. Comic book collectors get this driven in them deeply I've noticed*, and there is a pretty large amount of RPG crossover there.

Also, all it takes is you to decide to sell one once, and find out you've cost yourself a lot of money because you marked up your collectible book (I did this with a copy I had of the Temple of Elemental Evil).

*A friend of mine used to work in a comic book shop. To demonstrate the various conditions he used a copy of a Strawberry Shortcake comic book, that was close to worthless when brand new When he got to the wrinkle it stage to show good, you'd be suprised how many comic book collector onlookers would wince.

 

[Psion]

If I feel an errata (or more likely, since I use lots of third party stuff that doesn't get errata, house rules) are important enough, I'll yellow-sticky the page with the correction.

 

[DreadPirateMurphy]

I completely understand not wanting to write in books.

A book in good condition is a beautiful thing. It represents a complete package as offered by the author and publisher. With proper care, it can give enjoyment for years to many people. When I was a child, books from the library were a great pleasure, and it was fun to see one that had been around for years, or even decades.

I can't help but think that by scrawling in a book, I hurt the aesthetic, and I make the book less useful to somebody else. If I don't need a book, I will sell it, give it away, or trade it in for credit at a used book store. I also would like to hand my book collection down to my kids someday (digging through my grandmother's collection was my first exposure to fantasy and science fiction literature).

Bring up children to take pleasure and books and see them as something special, and they will treasure even the cheapest paperback edition of a good book.