Comments for Adventures in Editing http://sundragonediting.com/blog Thoughts About the Editing and Writing Life Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:45:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on Self-publish or Perish? by BK Marcus http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2010/01/27/self-publish-or-perish/comment-page-1/#comment-787 BK Marcus Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:45:25 +0000 http://sundragonediting.com/blog/?p=191#comment-787 In addition to the important issues you mention, there's another reason authors should consider self-publishing:<blockquote>When an author signs a publication contract, insofar as it contains strict and traditional copyright notices, he is pretty much signing his life away. It used to be that the publisher would maintain control only so long as the book is in print. Today, with digital printing, this means forever: your lifetime plus 70 years.During this time, you can't even quote significant portions of your own writing without permission from the publisher, and you could find yourself paying the publisher for the rights. You can't read your own book aloud and sell the results. You certainly can't give a journal a chapter.…What if the publisher isn't marketing your book? You can yell and scream but they don't have to answer. In fact, most publishers have a system for dealings with authors. It's called voice mail. Emails go unanswered.You are done for. You sold your soul and you can't get it back. Not within your lifetime. Your creation, which copyright is designed to protect, is now the possession of someone else.… (<a href="http://blog.mises.org/archives/009273.asp" rel="nofollow">"Authors: Beware of Copyright,"</a> by Jeffrey Tucker, Mises Economics Blog)</blockquote> In addition to the important issues you mention, there’s another reason authors should consider self-publishing:
When an author signs a publication contract, insofar as it contains strict and traditional copyright notices, he is pretty much signing his life away. It used to be that the publisher would maintain control only so long as the book is in print. Today, with digital printing, this means forever: your lifetime plus 70 years.During this time, you can’t even quote significant portions of your own writing without permission from the publisher, and you could find yourself paying the publisher for the rights. You can’t read your own book aloud and sell the results. You certainly can’t give a journal a chapter.…What if the publisher isn’t marketing your book? You can yell and scream but they don’t have to answer. In fact, most publishers have a system for dealings with authors. It’s called voice mail. Emails go unanswered.You are done for. You sold your soul and you can’t get it back. Not within your lifetime. Your creation, which copyright is designed to protect, is now the possession of someone else.… (“Authors: Beware of Copyright,” by Jeffrey Tucker, Mises Economics Blog)

]]> Comment on How to Spell “Inglourious Basterds” by George http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2009/09/02/how-to-spell-%e2%80%9cinglourious-basterds%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-719 George Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:44:42 +0000 http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2009/09/02/how-to-spell-%e2%80%9cinglourious-basterds%e2%80%9d/#comment-719 Imagine how Brad Pitt's character would say it with his southern accent. He would bastardize the pronunciation and so that's how he decided to spell it. That's my thoughts anyway. Makes sense to me. Imagine how Brad Pitt’s character would say it with his southern accent. He would bastardize the pronunciation and so that’s how he decided to spell it. That’s my thoughts anyway. Makes sense to me.

]]> Comment on How to Spell “Inglourious Basterds” by Darlene Morgan http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2009/09/02/how-to-spell-%e2%80%9cinglourious-basterds%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-714 Darlene Morgan Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:04:35 +0000 http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2009/09/02/how-to-spell-%e2%80%9cinglourious-basterds%e2%80%9d/#comment-714 I can so relate to your post! Spelling errors jump out at me and in this case an explanation is really needed. In Will Smith's, The Pursuit of Happyness, the reason for the misspelled word was clearly explained in the movie. Quentin Tarantino really needs to give an explanation of the spelling for those who suffer from "anality" (anal retentive) on the subject. :) Thanks for the post! I can so relate to your post! Spelling errors jump out at me and in this case an explanation is really needed. In Will Smith’s, The Pursuit of Happyness, the reason for the misspelled word was clearly explained in the movie. Quentin Tarantino really needs to give an explanation of the spelling for those who suffer from “anality” (anal retentive) on the subject. :) Thanks for the post!

]]> Comment on Where Have All the Hyphens Gone? by Michael Evans http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2009/01/17/where-have-all-the-hyphens-gone/comment-page-1/#comment-227 Michael Evans Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:21:42 +0000 http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2009/01/17/where-have-all-the-hyphens-gone/#comment-227 Missing hyphens should properly be called an error of omission. A missing comma or missing letter is the same thing. A hyphen that is improperly placed is what stirs me; for example, placing a hyphen in the words thank you. There should be no hyphen here unless it is a modifier: thank-you note, thank-you letter etc. Why does my child's Grade 2 teacher teach my child to write thus: "Thank-you (sic) for the gift." Is the teacher telling us she is illiterate and unable to parse the words in a simple sentence? Should she be teaching? Missing hyphens should properly be called an error of omission. A missing comma or missing letter is the same thing.

A hyphen that is improperly placed is what stirs me; for example, placing a hyphen in the words thank you. There should be no hyphen here unless it is a modifier: thank-you note, thank-you letter etc.

Why does my child’s Grade 2 teacher teach my child to write thus: “Thank-you (sic) for the gift.” Is the teacher telling us she is illiterate and unable to parse the words in a simple sentence? Should she be teaching?

]]> Comment on Carat vs. Karat vs. Carrot by Ken McFarland http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2009/01/04/carat-vs-karat-vs-carrot/comment-page-1/#comment-67 Ken McFarland Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:35:15 +0000 http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2009/01/04/carat-vs-karat-vs-carrot/#comment-67 You forgot another one: caret....the little "insert here" symbol that proofreaders... and sometimes, editors, use. You forgot another one: caret….the little “insert here” symbol that proofreaders… and sometimes, editors, use.

]]> Comment on 5 Phrases to Raise Your Editor’s Blood Pressure by johnny http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2008/11/05/5-phrases-to-raise-your-editor%e2%80%99s-blood-pressure/comment-page-1/#comment-66 johnny Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:14:43 +0000 http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2008/11/05/5-phrases-to-raise-your-editor%e2%80%99s-blood-pressure/#comment-66 pgvY0e Thanks for good post pgvY0e Thanks for good post

]]> Comment on The Unmotivated Writer/Editor by Dianne http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2008/09/06/the-unmotivated-writereditor/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Dianne Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:44:34 +0000 http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2008/09/06/the-unmotivated-writereditor/#comment-13 Great work. Great work.

]]> Comment on I Tried to Be an English Major by BK Marcus http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2008/09/16/i-tried-to-be-an-english-major/comment-page-1/#comment-12 BK Marcus Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:41:06 +0000 http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2008/09/16/i-tried-to-be-an-english-major/#comment-12 Thank you. This post is very helpful. I'm forwarding it to some friends ... Thank you. This post is very helpful. I’m forwarding it to some friends …

]]> Comment on Just an Everyday Mistake We See Every Day by Razz http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2008/09/13/just-an-everyday-mistake-we-see-every-day/comment-page-1/#comment-6 Razz Tue, 16 Sep 2008 06:05:49 +0000 http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2008/09/13/just-an-everyday-mistake-we-see-every-day/#comment-6 Dear Sarah, Please don't poke your eyes out. You will need them to edit my short story. I am currently working on my first book and need the assistance of a good editor.While touring your web site and learning of your services I just couldn't get the image of you poking your eyes out...out of my head. So I interrupted my wonderful tour to comment. Now I shall get back to the tour. Razz Dear Sarah,

Please don’t poke your eyes out. You will need them to edit my short story.

I am currently working on my first book and need the assistance of a good editor.While touring your web site and learning of your services I just couldn’t get the image of you poking your eyes out…out of my head. So I interrupted my wonderful tour to comment.

Now I shall get back to the tour.
Razz

]]> Comment on The Elements of Style (Strunk and White) by BK Marcus http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2008/08/30/the-elements-of-style-strunk-and-white/comment-page-1/#comment-2 BK Marcus Sat, 30 Aug 2008 22:39:15 +0000 http://sundragonediting.com/blog/2008/08/30/the-elements-of-style-strunk-and-white/#comment-2 The full text of the 1918 edition is available online at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Elements_of_Style The full text of the 1918 edition is available online at http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Elements_of_Style

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