I received this letter today for my Dear Della page.
Deer Dela,
I have wrote a book and going too sellfpublish it but my friedn Kimberley says what are them colored skwiggly lines under al the wrods and i dont now but do you now if the swiggles will com out in the book wehn i done it pleaase.
sellfpublsihed arthor of IT WERE MY LIFE?
OK, so I know it was a spoof, but it did make me smile, and as I can’t use it for my actual Dear Della column in Writers’ Forum, I thought I would print it here. It came from an author and reviewer friend of mine who has read so many badly produced self published books lately, she feels like throwing her hands up in despair.
Not of course that any of us would do that, would we? Excuse me, I just have to rush off and check my latest proof copy for my publisher 🙂
A book on Kindle should be as well written as any ‘traditionally’ published book. There are no short cuts.
Oh dear! That was a bit OTT but those typos do slip through so often. Four people have read my next manuscript and each person picks out several that have been missed by the other three! I think there is a good case for a professional proofreader.
absolutely, Madalyn.
I agree re the professional proof reader – it’s v hard to edit your own work. Actually it’s quite hard to edit other people’s too!