Before I get started...
I just switched internet hosts to Hostinger where I got a great deal and I like their interface more. So, I revamped my websites. I haven't gotten around to being 100% done with them yet (I haven't touched the Purpleism site yet, but I have high hopes there.).
- JZMurdock.com (author/filmmaker website)
- LgNProductions.com (my production company)
- Murdockinations.com still brings you here.
- Journaled.com (still online since 1995 when it was just a webpage)
- Purpleism.org (an absurdist religion in the vein of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster)
From ChatGPT
Now, on errors in a book...
My answer depends on several factors, especially the edition and publisher.
First editions, even from major publishers, can have errors. What matters most is whether the book is good. For instance, "The Martian" was self-published and still went on to become a bestseller and a major motion picture.
I had a similar experience with my horror/sci-fi book DEATH OF HEAVEN (which has garnered incredible reviews and won the 2024 NYC Big Book Award Horror for Horror). A reviewer initially criticized it as being “full of errors.” However, the issue turned out to be that the book’s longest story was written from a British perspective, so I used British spellings. Once I explained this, they kindly updated their review.
Ultimately, it all comes down to whether the story is compelling and well-written. Ideally, books should be polished and error-free, but perfection isn’t always the standard. Any student of medieval literature knows that spelling inconsistencies were the norm due to a lack of standardization. Context matters.
That said, dismissing a self-published book outright smacks of elitism and can mean missing out on some incredible reads. Researching whether a book is worth your time is a reasonable first step—after all, not all self-published books are great. But I’ve also read poorly written books from big publishers, so the problem isn’t exclusive to self-publishing.
If an author handed me their book with visible errors, I’d approach it based on the severity. A couple of typos? I’d mention them. Dozens or hundreds? I’d still give feedback but might suggest prioritizing the story’s quality over nitpicking, depending on whether fixing them would be worthwhile.
Finally, my university professor once told us, “Sharing a first draft with anyone is like showing them your shit. Don’t do it.” If it’s in published form, significant errors become less forgivable because they reflect on the finished product. That said, even perfectly written manuscripts can go through the publishing process and still turn up with errors.
Cheers! Sláinte!
First editions, even from major publishers, can have errors. What matters most is whether the book is good. For instance, "The Martian" was self-published and still went on to become a bestseller and a major motion picture.
I had a similar experience with my horror/sci-fi book DEATH OF HEAVEN (which has garnered incredible reviews and won the 2024 NYC Big Book Award Horror for Horror). A reviewer initially criticized it as being “full of errors.” However, the issue turned out to be that the book’s longest story was written from a British perspective, so I used British spellings. Once I explained this, they kindly updated their review.
Ultimately, it all comes down to whether the story is compelling and well-written. Ideally, books should be polished and error-free, but perfection isn’t always the standard. Any student of medieval literature knows that spelling inconsistencies were the norm due to a lack of standardization. Context matters.
That said, dismissing a self-published book outright smacks of elitism and can mean missing out on some incredible reads. Researching whether a book is worth your time is a reasonable first step—after all, not all self-published books are great. But I’ve also read poorly written books from big publishers, so the problem isn’t exclusive to self-publishing.
If an author handed me their book with visible errors, I’d approach it based on the severity. A couple of typos? I’d mention them. Dozens or hundreds? I’d still give feedback but might suggest prioritizing the story’s quality over nitpicking, depending on whether fixing them would be worthwhile.
Finally, my university professor once told us, “Sharing a first draft with anyone is like showing them your shit. Don’t do it.” If it’s in published form, significant errors become less forgivable because they reflect on the finished product. That said, even perfectly written manuscripts can go through the publishing process and still turn up with errors.
Cheers! Sláinte!
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