This is a feature that has been going around in my mind for months now, but I never really knew how to approach it. But here I am, introducing Bookish Hogwash, a feature that will focus on the somewhat nonsensical and random thoughts that go on in my mind.
But, Naban, why does that sound similar to your discussion posts? - I just felt you asking. Well, mainly because it's basically the same thing. Just with a fancier name and with a lot more of rambling.
I'm creative like that.
Typos. Something despised by so many people, it should be extinct by now. They're pretty much invisible to the not so analytical eye until your realize the mistake long after the harm has been done.
(That was a genuine typo, but I'll leave it unedited and pretend I'm all about indirect humour.)
(It makes me cringe every time.)
I think the issue is much prominent in novels. If anyone is wondering, YES, it's still a thing! Books still have typos despite the infrequency of it. Consisting of hundreds of pages at times, with over 100,000 words or more, it's a little scary how a single error could ruin a lot of things on the larger scale for a book.
But is a typo a dealbreaker? I've thought this over, and whilst it may seem half baked when put into words, I would certainly find it repulsive.
Then again, I don't think I would stop reading a REALLY good book with a solid, engaging plot, just because I found a mistake in the typing. It probably wouldn't be easy to get over at all, but if the story is good, it's worth a try...right?
However, surely, more than one typo or the same mistake being repeated is what I would take as my cue to step back.
I don't think I would find it any harder to cope with typos in 'professionally' published books as opposed to the self-published ones. I think HOW a book was published matters less here, since a typo is a typo, and how forgivable it is would depend purely on the overall book and the typo itself.
Bottom line is that: Yes, I too find typos in books detestable. Although it might not always be enough to make me slam the book close, I'd rather read a book without typos then a book with one. Also, I'm still not quite sure where I was going with this post but it's hogwash time so I get to ramble away, yay me.
BUT WAIT! Don't make this a one sided conversation.
You should totally share your thoughts.