Typos and Misprints

As of late, there’s been a growing amount of discussion and tension surrounding the issue of typos and misprints appearing in major publications. The fact is just about anyone could have made these mistakes; however, these mistakes could have also just as easily been avoided. All it would have taken was an edit by a copyeditor.

An increasing number of publications are laying off copyeditors to save time and money, the excuse being that copyeditors slow things down as web editors and reporters are quite capable of proofreading their own work. If this were true, then why are more and more publications being called out when a writer doesn’t get a well-known fact right?

Many authors already know the value of a second set of eyes. Copyeditors cannot merely be replaced by spell check. Their role extends far beyond that of “Grammar Nazi.” Copyeditors are trained professionals hired to help preserve a publication’s credibility.

Some may argue that in today’s world of the internet and instant feedback, “minor” mistakes are not that big of a deal as most of them can easily and quickly be fixed. However, perhaps what it all boils down to is what publications are willing to run the risk of: losing money or obtaining embarrassment.