Fanfic errors
So to make my editing heart happy, I'm going to begin posting some of the most common things I see in fics. One amazing thing I've noticed about daily cartoons and comics published in broadsheet media is that they just about never have typos or spelling errors if they're a major name cartoon. That would be a fun job to have. But oh, the pressure!!
I can't read my own writing for errors - in that, I am exactly like every other author who can't catch their own mistakes because the brain is already convinced as to how it should read - but I will catch every single error in an author's work or that made it past an editor. And on that note...
"passed/past" - I keep seeing "passed" used when "past" is the only correct word. It's not just one fic author, either, so... I dunno why it's like that. Please clue me in if you know.
"lead/led" - often seeing "lead" when the past tense, "led" is meant.
"peaked/peeked" - often seeing "peaked" when the author meant "peeked"
YKUTWIDNTIMWYTIM/IDNTTWMWYTIM (hint: infamous "Princess Bride" quote meme) : Authors, tell me - How do I help with this problem when spotting it? I know sometimes a wire gets crossed during one's peak educational years, and a word takes on a meaning in one's mind that it doesn't really have. Maybe it's age-related, because I certainly remember having to re-learn a few words. Maybe I've just heard the usage many more times than some of the writers. Or then again, it's just as likely that I can spot the confusion because I am that much more distant and separated from the story, unlike each author who's immersed in their story.
I can't read my own writing for errors - in that, I am exactly like every other author who can't catch their own mistakes because the brain is already convinced as to how it should read - but I will catch every single error in an author's work or that made it past an editor. And on that note...
"passed/past" - I keep seeing "passed" used when "past" is the only correct word. It's not just one fic author, either, so... I dunno why it's like that. Please clue me in if you know.
"lead/led" - often seeing "lead" when the past tense, "led" is meant.
"peaked/peeked" - often seeing "peaked" when the author meant "peeked"
YKUTWIDNTIMWYTIM/IDNTTWMWYTIM (hint: infamous "Princess Bride" quote meme) : Authors, tell me - How do I help with this problem when spotting it? I know sometimes a wire gets crossed during one's peak educational years, and a word takes on a meaning in one's mind that it doesn't really have. Maybe it's age-related, because I certainly remember having to re-learn a few words. Maybe I've just heard the usage many more times than some of the writers. Or then again, it's just as likely that I can spot the confusion because I am that much more distant and separated from the story, unlike each author who's immersed in their story.