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

[crazy_cat]

Entirely too much "company in question", "another poster said", "someone commented", "they", "a publisher" in this thread now. It would help the conversation if names were attached to each example when specific targets are meant. If speaking in generalities, fine. But when speaking in specific, specifics should be used. Name names. Otherwise I'm just tuning out.

Mongoose Publishing. Drow Wars and Conan are both just shocking.

 

[Odhanan]

Mongoose Publishing has been regularly bad on the editing/proofreading of its publications.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Black Industries, producers of (very poorly edited books for) WHFRP v2. Hope that helps.

Absolutely. And I agree there. Editing there has been terribly spotty. I don't know that I could defend it much other than hypothesize what might have been happening at Black Industries. I have ideas, but *shrug*.

I'll say this, my disappointment with the quality in those books hasn't stopped me buying them up, mostly because I don't play WHFRPv2 as much as I do with WotC' stuff. I'm sure if I was forced to look at the errors everytime I played my hackles would be raised.

 

[Saba Taru]

Okay, I'm no idiot. Please consider this an open call for editors/proofreaders. Anyone in this thread who is willing to sign a nondisclosure agreement and work for comp copies of PDF products, and compliments, speak right up. I'll watch this thread, but you can also e-mail me through the forum or contact me directly by e-mail at: editor (at) tabletopadventures (dot) com .

This is cross posted from the Open Call Forum.

I've worked as a professional editor for several years. I'm no longer contracting with FEMA, so I have lots of free time now. I'd be more than willing to work for comp copies of any work I edit, and NDAs are no problem, either. PM me here at these boards if anyone needs me.



Saba

 

[Ourph]

Absolutely. And I agree there. Editing there has been terribly spotty. I don't know that I could defend it much other than hypothesize what might have been happening at Black Industries. I have ideas, but *shrug*.

I'll say this, my disappointment with the quality in those books hasn't stopped me buying them up, mostly because I don't play WHFRPv2 as much as I do with WotC' stuff. I'm sure if I was forced to look at the errors everytime I played my hackles would be raised.

As I've said before, it hasn't stopped me from buying them either, but I certainly don't pay full cover price for them. Most of the time I can get them for between 40-50% off. The fact that it's fairly easy to find the books at those prices indicates to me that I'm not the only one who doesn't value them at the $40 pricetag that BI is asking.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Eric Anondson
Entirely too much "company in question", "another poster said", "someone commented", "they", "a publisher" in this thread now. It would help the conversation if names were attached to each example when specific targets are meant. If speaking in generalities, fine. But when speaking in specific, specifics should be used.

I initially greeted the D20 Mongoose products with glee- their "homage" to the 2Ed softcover class-books was a welcome sight on the shelves.

However, with each one I bought, I was dissapointed by the accumulation of bad editing. Eventually, I not only stopped buying them, I sold them at Half-Price books, and generally pass on their product when I see it.

That said, I DO buy their Paranoia stuff, which seems to be better edited than the D20 stuff that turned me off to their products.

Before that, I used to find all kinds of errors in the 2Ed products- the aforementioned Vampire mixup, for example.

Even in the PHB I found weapons classes have as proficient missing from the equipment chart ("Broadsword") and multiclass options for bard which dissapeared in subsequent printings,

 

[MKMcArtor]

Do you think a managing editor actually has to also be an editor? I'm trying to figure this out.

I would think a managing editor's first task is to manage. Leave the copyediting to the copyeditors (if you have them) whenever possible. Now, if you're the ONLY editor in your company, well... :\

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.

Sometimes, Morrus, depending on the writer, it takes MORE work to edit the book than it took the author to hack it out.

 

[Seonaid]

Sometimes, Morrus, depending on the writer, it takes MORE work to edit the book than it took the author to hack it out.

QFT! So, pay your authors less and your editors more!

 

[Cam Banks]

I would think a managing editor's first task is to manage. Leave the copyediting to the copyeditors (if you have them) whenever possible. Now, if you're the ONLY editor in your company, well... :\

I was, of course, mostly kidding. Mostly.

There was a big discussion on here a couple of months ago about stat block errors and editing. The notion that any standard editor hired by a gaming conpany should be fluent enough with the rules that they can also proof stat blocks was thrown around. Do you think this is a little much to ask somebody? Wouldn't we want somebody who knows their way around a stat block to edit them specifically? Judging by many reviews, they're one of the most frequently error-ridden parts of d20 game products.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[MKMcArtor]

I was, of course, mostly kidding. Mostly.

I assumed you were. I guess I didn't make it clear that I was just playing along.

Judging by many reviews, they're one of the most frequently error-ridden parts of d20 game products.

Finding errors in stat blocks in d20 products is like finding sand in a desert.

Hmm... I like that little saying, but unfortunately it doesn't address your questions. Ordinarily, I wouldn't get in on this conversation, but since a fellow editor who I respect asked me specifically for my thoughts, I would be remiss to not answer.

The notion that any standard editor hired by a gaming conpany should be fluent enough with the rules that they can also proof stat blocks was thrown around. Do you think this is a little much to ask somebody?

I don't think it's too much to ask of an editor who wants to edit gaming products. It's my opinion that if you're working in a creative capacity within a game company you should have at least some familiarity with the rules your company produces, even if (like me) your personal skill focus is more along the lines of traditional copyediting. Yes, I'm a fairly decent copyeditor, but I also have a fairly strong knowledge of the rules (at least in a general sense, if nothing else). I can break down a stat block and find errors within it, but there are others here at Paizo who can do that more accurately and more quickly than me, so I focus on the English stuff.

Wouldn't we want somebody who knows their way around a stat block to edit them specifically?

I definitely think someone intimately familiar with stat blocks should look at every single one that goes into a product, yes. I also feel that every other editor attached to the product should also look at the stat blocks, though, because even experts sometimes overlook things (sometimes things as "obvious" as misspelled words). The statblock editor needs to have other editing skills, though, or else I suspect he'd spend a lot of time at work bored. I don't know about your company, but Paizo doesn't put out enough stat blocks in a month to justify the cost of having one editor whose entire job is to edit stat blocks. :\

So, I hope that answers your questions. I have a feeling I might have misunderstood one or more of them, though, and if that's the case please feel free to gently tease me.