[Rant] Do editing/proofreading errors drive you mad, too?

[Mark CMG]

I'd just like to point out that Green Ronin is an example of a company doing things the right way

That's just another one of many reasons why they are an industry leader that sets a standard for the rest.

 

[MKMcArtor]

As for WotC changing their style guide with every new book: WTF? Don't they have enough money to pay editors? Is it possible they don't even HAVE a style guide? Grr . . .

Oh they have a style guide. A 70-page style guide. But it doesn't cover the order in which certain stats appear in stat blocks, for example.

And before I let this devolve completely into an anti-Wizards of the Coast thread, let me state that I was being slightly facetious. I tend to exaggerate, you see. Wizards of the Coast sometimes changes their stat block formats because they're looking for the best way to present the information. Finding the best way requires tweaking, so they tweak. It's slightly annoying to us over here at Paizo because we don't always find out about the tweaks ahead of time, which makes Dragon look a little bit behind the curve on these things, but ultimately I don't think anyone who isn't paid to look at such things notices that our stat blocks are presented in a style that has been out of date for three months.

Yes, that paragraph probably does mark me as a Wizards of the Coast apologist, but if you thought I'd be anything but an apologist for them, let me point you to my signature.

Curses! Foiled again!

*twirls his mustache, Snidely Whiplash-style*

Muahahaha!

 

[Thomas Percy]

I never have noticed in WotC books any proofreading mistake what ruins my game.

 

[Prophet2b]

The lack of proof reading bothers me sometimes, but I've just come to accept that this is what to expect by now.

However, I was quite annoyed when I got my Eberron books, ecstatically sat down for an evening of good reading, cracked open the Player's Guide and found in the second paragraph of the first page, "Others are uite specific to Eberron..."

First page. Second paragraph. It's just an incredibly minor typo, but in some ways, that makes it all the more frustrating.

It didn't ruin my night. But it did lower my opinion even further of Wizard's review process. First page. Second paragraph. I mean... c'mon!

 

[Seonaid]

First page. Second paragraph. I mean... c'mon!

Well . . . in their defense (not that I know anything, nor do I work for them), it is often said that in order to truly edit well, you should start from the back and work your way forwards (so you don't fill in those gaps that have been discussed before).

 

[Mark CMG]

Those looking for edting possibilities in exchange for product and credit, please also feel free to contact me. As a one man operation, I am always interested in cleaning things up a little better. And thank you in advance to anyone who takes me up on the offer.

Still open to hearing from people.

 

[Ilium]

E-mail sent. Check here for more people who will proof for product:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=193430

I may have to make up a T-shirt: Will Proof for Product!

 

[Mark CMG]

E-mail sent. Check here for more people who will proof for product:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=193430

I may have to make up a T-shirt: Will Proof for Product!

Thanks for the email and the link!

 

[sniffles]

One problem is that editors aren't paid properly - it's almost as much work to edit a book properly as it is to write the damn thing.

OK, I exaggerate. But I make a point of paying an editor per word; usually about half what the author got. I realised a while back, reviewing some of ENP's earlier products, that editing really is as important as the writing.

You, sir, are the admiral of admirable.

You're not exaggerating much to say that editing is almost as much work as writing. To be a good editor you have to know the topic of the material you're editing so you can edit for content, as well as for grammar, spelling, syntax and punctuation. It seems to me that these days most of the "editing" is done by Word's spellchecker, which unfortunately has very limited knowledge of grammar and syntax and none at all of subject matter.

If I could make a living as an editor I would. Oh, wait, I already do! Just not editing game material.

 

[Bacris]

*manifests psionic revivify on this thread*

I'm a bit late in seeing it, but I consider this a great idea. I personally hate when I find an editing error or, worse, have one in my own work that makes it out the door.

If you are interested in proofreading copies of Dreamscarred Press products in exchange for free PDFs, feel free to email me at jeremy.smith AT dreamscarredpress.com.

I'd prefer that those interested parties understand the 3.5 psionic system, but it's not a mandatory requirement