Y Ddraig Goch

June 17 2025 - Typos

Prompt: Typos - Does a typo annoy you? And can a typo ever lead to a misunderstanding or maybe even to an idea for a story or poem?

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Yes - typos affect the quality and readability of any piece of writing whether it's a short story, novel, or poem. And because I haven't written it - they are extremely obvious. The level of annoyance or drift (taking the reader out of the moment) depends on the context: Is it published? Is it an indie writer? Is it on a writing platform? Is it a competition with a 24-hour turnaround? How many typos are we talking about? I'm much more critical on work from a publishing house than anything on here for example, because we (me included) are still learning and evolving. I'm also less critical with an indie author - especially if the vibes (character and plot) are good.

In a published piece of work, where I have had to pay for the privilege, it can be annoying. Published work needs to have more scrutiny. It's why copywriting and editors are so important. There are books I have read where I wonder how they ever got published. But again, there is a tiered system - indie author, new author, experience/seasoned author. The level of leeway diminishes the further up the pyramid we go.

However, I know from experience how easily typos can slip into writing and because when I am neck deep in the storyline and characters etc... I become word blind - I read what I want/think it should say rather than the actual words - it's a psychological phenomenon around skim reading. There will be typos in this post. If you haven't found any, it's because I have already gone through it - twice since I posted it - though I may not just to prove a point.

I frequently change sentences around, sometimes I decide I want a different tense or POV for more impact, I type too fast and miss the "n't" at the end of "can't", my fingers have muscles memory and decide to type "someone" instead of "something", or damn autocorrect gets it wrong! Suddenly the whole sentence changes. Luckily the context around the typo usually provides the clues as to what it should say, but still, I know all too well that typos are somewhat inevitably in early drafts. If my reader has to figure out what I'm trying to say, then they aren't going to enjoy it as much as I want them to.

It's why reviews are so important. I'm lucky to have found some great reviewers on here who provide honest feedback, who are also tactful and encouraging; Aubreywrites and Billytj .

I try my best - I have to step away (sometimes for several days) in order to review it from a cold perspective. I like using audio programs to read back my work (something I have only just started to do). I read and re-read my work. And then I'll ask the people I trust to give me their honest opinion and I'm always the better for it.

Yes, typos can be annoying. Too many of them can affect the enjoyment of reading a piece of work, but they are also not the be all or end all of a great story - they are a stepping stone. Sometimes it's more about the vibes, than being a masterpiece - we can't all be Jane Austen.