What in the BLOODY HELL...
Perhaps 2 hours of American Idol tonight was too much, but the only title I could think of to sum up my feelings right now comes straight from Cowell's mouth:
Yes, I think I'd like to throw on a snug black t-shirt and sport a cocky Brit-attitude and drop by the editor's office for the magazine in which I was just published and give a little piece of my mind.
What's that you say? Did you want to see my article? Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not showing it now.
Why?
BECAUSE THEY FREAKING SCREWED IT UP.
Don't misunderstand. I am not a writer who can't stand to be edited. On the contrary, as someone who loves to edit work, I appreciate a good edit of my own stuff. Tighten 'er up, make her flow more nicely, and fix any problems you see. Go ahead, be my guest!
But, don't introduce a SPELLING ERROR in the first paragraph of the story. Yes, they changed the word "treats" to "treates." Hello? Is this a professional magazine or middle-school newsletter 101 where they forget to run spell check? @#$@#!!!!
If that's not bad enough, The editor (who incidentally was fired after this issue, and I think I know why now), chose to rework my first paragraph. That's fine, because I thought it might be a little too descriptive and wordy. But, when she did, she mistakenly copied the same phrase about three times over in the course of a couple of sentences. It looks like a straight copy-and-paste error that would have been caught had anyone actually read the blueline/final copy going to the printers.
It does not help that the chief editor (over the chain of area magazines) emailed the writers saying she is looking for a new editor and would any of us be interested in being considered. Because, in cases like this I tend to get really irritated and arrogant and say, "Oh what the heck! I can't do a worse job, can I?" Then, I prompty throw myself at the work and then regret it later.
This suckety, suckety, sucketh, people! I wanted to use this article to show I've been published in a print magazine too. The magazine is laid out quite nicely and has a nice professional look about it. But, I'd be a fool to show anyone this article. Now, I'm hoping my neighbors don't see it at all.
The worst part--my two kids pictures are all over the article and they look adorable. How amazing would it have been to have been able to show off that article to family friends and stuff. Now, I will be hiding it and trying to not go postal every time I see it.
Does the world really know how valuable an editors' eyes are in our society? Forget knowing a great lawyer, surgeon or an honest mechanic. I've learned the truth--you've gotta' have a good editor in your corner at all times! Bloody hell, indeed...
"What in the BLOODY HELL was that?"
Yes, I think I'd like to throw on a snug black t-shirt and sport a cocky Brit-attitude and drop by the editor's office for the magazine in which I was just published and give a little piece of my mind.
What's that you say? Did you want to see my article? Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not showing it now.
Why?
BECAUSE THEY FREAKING SCREWED IT UP.
Don't misunderstand. I am not a writer who can't stand to be edited. On the contrary, as someone who loves to edit work, I appreciate a good edit of my own stuff. Tighten 'er up, make her flow more nicely, and fix any problems you see. Go ahead, be my guest!
But, don't introduce a SPELLING ERROR in the first paragraph of the story. Yes, they changed the word "treats" to "treates." Hello? Is this a professional magazine or middle-school newsletter 101 where they forget to run spell check? @#$@#!!!!
If that's not bad enough, The editor (who incidentally was fired after this issue, and I think I know why now), chose to rework my first paragraph. That's fine, because I thought it might be a little too descriptive and wordy. But, when she did, she mistakenly copied the same phrase about three times over in the course of a couple of sentences. It looks like a straight copy-and-paste error that would have been caught had anyone actually read the blueline/final copy going to the printers.
It does not help that the chief editor (over the chain of area magazines) emailed the writers saying she is looking for a new editor and would any of us be interested in being considered. Because, in cases like this I tend to get really irritated and arrogant and say, "Oh what the heck! I can't do a worse job, can I?" Then, I prompty throw myself at the work and then regret it later.
This suckety, suckety, sucketh, people! I wanted to use this article to show I've been published in a print magazine too. The magazine is laid out quite nicely and has a nice professional look about it. But, I'd be a fool to show anyone this article. Now, I'm hoping my neighbors don't see it at all.
The worst part--my two kids pictures are all over the article and they look adorable. How amazing would it have been to have been able to show off that article to family friends and stuff. Now, I will be hiding it and trying to not go postal every time I see it.
Does the world really know how valuable an editors' eyes are in our society? Forget knowing a great lawyer, surgeon or an honest mechanic. I've learned the truth--you've gotta' have a good editor in your corner at all times! Bloody hell, indeed...
Labels: writing elsewhere
posted by Crazy MomCat @ 10:02 PM
10 Comments:
Aw, man, that sucks!
My blood is boiling for you!!! Too bad they can't print a corrected version...
I am so sorry about that!! My first publication, in the Austin American-Statesman, also had a typo and a couple of errors introduced into it. It wasn't so bad I wouldn't share it, at least, but still made it annoying to use that as a clip or try to sell it as a reprint. I've also had a publication change words in my rhyming poem so that the meter was off!
But I'd still show the article to your family with your caveats about the editing, so they can see your cute kids! I hope your next print publication comes quickly and error-free!
Thanks, guys!
I'm feeling better about it. A lot of people have complimented it and missed the type-o (I guess) or they're being fake nice about it all. The layout they chose is so neat that it kind of hopefully takes away from the errors they introduced.
I spoke with the editor-in-chief and she gave me the low-down on the editor's spot. I'm now stuck trying to decide if I can and should take that on. It sounds SO fun and so what I would like to be doing, BUT I now also have paid work that pays way more than this job would. Ugh. In 2-3 more years this would be the perfect thing I would need to fill me out to full-time work (or almost full-time) but right now it could overwhelm me.
I don't know...I may go talk to her if she is interested in interviewing me. She may not be since I've not done much of this kind of work. We'll see...
That totally sucks!
The amazing thing is that people outside of writers/editors like us? They never even seem to notice typos! So, you should definitely show it to friends and family... because you rock.
That totally sucketh! I'm so sorry that happened. Can they at least give you a good clean copy that you can use?? They owe you that!!
xo
LBC
Sucks indeed. I work in publishing (a university alumni mag) and know how important good editing is. I'm so sorry that happened to you!
That's a nightmare--I used to write for a weekly paper in the county and faced the same problem. The difference was I went into it with the understanding that their was not enough editing going on there. It's practically a sport around here to look through the three local papers for errors. My favorite is when they're right in the headline. Duh.
I had that happen to a piece I did one time. They made a small change and inserted a spelling error. I was furious.
Email me on the side and tell me what magazine this is. I want to see!!
Oh, that is the worst! I am so incredibly sorry, I can't imagine how disappointing this must be for you :(
You just tell that editor that she/he looks like she's/he's been boiled!!
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