Editing THE TOMB / RAKOSHI

Noelie 06-30-2004, 01:35 PM

#31

Quote:However I still have a blind spot where adverse/averse are concerned, and you may see it again

And all this time, I figured it was an editing mistake. :p

You know the one that I hate? Should of instead of should've or should have. Hate hate hate. HATE. I hate it. I've read several books where they used "should of" throughout, and I can never figure out if it's an author mistake, or an editor mistake, but it drives me crazy.

P.S. And I don't mean one isolated incident when it's written as something a character would actually say. That I can understand. I mean when it's used throughout the book.

jimbow8 06-30-2004, 01:42 PM

#32

Noelie Wrote:And all this time, I figured it was an editing mistake. :p

You know the one that I hate? Should of instead of should've or should have. Hate hate hate. HATE. I hate it. I've read several books where they used "should of" throughout, and I can never figure out if it's an author mistake, or an editor mistake, but it drives me crazy.

P.S. And I don't mean one isolated incident when it's written as something a character would actually say. That I can understand. I mean when it's used throughout the book.

I agree. 'Could of' also. And if you are gonna be sloppy about it then just use 'shoulda' or 'coulda.' At least that is acceptable as more of a slang contraction, at least in my (humble) opinion.

I am reading Under the Overtree by James A Moore. It is a good (possibly great book - haven't finished it yet) book, but the guy uses commas like crazy. He just throws them into the middle of a sentence. What the #@%$!!! This guy seriously needs a new editor.

The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. ... The piecing together of dissociated knowledge will open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of our frightful position therein, that we shall either go mad from the revelation or flee from the light into the peace and safety of a new dark age.
~ Howard Phillips Lovecraft

Matthew Smith 06-30-2004, 02:51 PM

#33

Because of this thread, I've felt compelled to pull my much-read copy of Strunk and White's "Elements of Style" down from the shelf and re-read it from cover to cover.

Now I've got to go back through all of my work and fix my atrocious grammar.

--Matthew

cyber-jack 06-30-2004, 05:29 PM

#34

Matthew Smith Wrote:Because of this thread, I've felt compelled to pull my much-read copy of Strunk and White's "Elements of Style" down from the shelf and re-read it from cover to cover.

Now I've got to go back through all of my work and fix my atrocious grammar.

--Matthew

You know, re-reading "The Elements of Style" is probably not a bad idea, especially with that Borderlands Boot Camp just around the corner...

Sam 06-30-2004, 06:38 PM

#35

jimbow8 Wrote:but the guy uses commas like crazy. He just throws them into the middle of a sentence. What the #@%$!!! This guy seriously needs a new editor.

Hmmmm....., A book written, in that way, oughta make for, interesting reading, not-would it,? Big Grin

fpw 06-30-2004, 06:45 PM

#36

jimbow8 Wrote:the guy uses commas like crazy. He just throws them into the middle of a sentence. What the #@%$!!! This guy seriously needs a new editor.

A commakaze! (Pace, Kenji).

FPW
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