Books- Does This Really Happen?

[Fan Club]

While perusing Amazon, I came across this apparently new book for sale. A mispelled word on the book cover immediately got my attention, the word "novas" instead of "novice". Using the "Look Inside" feature Amazon has, I soon came across two more mispelled words in the author's biography, "persent" instead of "percent" and "experiance" in place of "experience".
 
I'm not trying to pick on the guy, but my question is- Is it common practice to release a book without utilizing the services of an Editor or at least using spell check? If he is from another country and these are common spellings then I apologize for my ignorance.
 
Can anyone shed any light on this?
 

[paboxcall]

ORIGINAL: Fan Club

While perusing Amazon, I came across this apparently new book for sale. A mispelled word on the book cover immediately got my attention, the word "novas" instead of "novice". Using the "Look Inside" feature Amazon has, I soon came across two more mispelled words in the author's biography, "persent" instead of "percent" and "experiance" in place of "experience".

I'm not trying to pick on the guy, but my question is- Is it common practice to release a book without utilizing the services of an Editor or at least using spell check? If he is from another country and these are common spellings then I apologize for my ignorance.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

Yes -- I have read several of Jim Casada's book reviews in T&TH, and recall Jim stating that an editor would have enhanced a number of the self-published books reviewed in his column.

A typo on the cover though -- that's unfortunate.

[Everyday Hunter]

Very interesting, Fan Club. I don't know where you found the author's biography, but I checked out the other book he has listed on Amazon, and it's a 48-page book with a price tag of $16.95. Seems pricey. Both his books are self-published through a company owned by Amazon.

Regarding the misspellings, in checking his 48-page book on Amazon, there's a mistake not just on the cover, but in the title of the book, Wild Turkey: My [color="#990000"]Storys[/color] From the Field (Volume 1). Hey, I'm embarrassed when I misspell something on a message board!


I'm guessing his readers will be a little frustrated, but I can only suppose that if hunting the big birds is frustrating, the author thinks reading about it might as well be frustrating, too.

Your post reminded me of something I was told this week -- it seems that somewhere there's a guy who has written a book on turkey hunting, but he has never harvested a single turkey. I'm not saying this author is that person, but I'm still wondering who it would be. Wouldn't such boldness quickly be revealed? Seems odd, but in the world of self-publishing anything is possible.

Steve

[Fan Club]

ORIGINAL: Everyday Hunter

 I can only suppose that if hunting the big birds is frustrating, the author thinks reading about it might as well be frustrating, too.

 
LOL... Now that's funny, I don't care who you are.   [:D]     [:D]     [:D]
 
Steve- For the biography, go to Amazon, find the book, click on the "Look Inside" feature, and then "Back Cover." You'll have to zoom a little to make it legible. He's a guide somewhere so that's evidently his forte.
 

[Everyday Hunter]

Ah, there it is. Thanks.

I've been thinking about those "New and Novas Hunters." If I hadn't read this thread I would have never guessed that what he meant was "novice." After all, what really is the difference between "new" and "novice"? So, maybe he didn't mean "novice." Maybe he really meant "novas." Novas are exploding stars. Supernovas (according to Wikipedia) are stellar explosions with more energy and radiation than a nova. So, he must be talking about the stars of the turkey hunting world who haven't yet reached the level of superstar. I'm somewhere in between new and novas, so the book must be for me. 

Always thinking... and by now probably have had enough fun with this.

Steve

[Hookspur]

I own just about every book written on turkey hunting, and the ones (at least 4, so far) authored by this guy are absolutely the worst writing that I have ever seen! He may or may not be a good turkey guide, but he couldn't spell his way out of a wet paper bag, and while I ordinarily buy any turkey hunting book just for the sake of keeping my collection complete, this guy's writing is so horrific that I refuse to purchase any more of them (unfortunately, I bought the first 3) until I can find them used for less than a dollar. I swear, a third-grader would know more about spelling, grammar, and punctuation, and his books are absolutely painful to read for anyone who knows the least bit about writing. Sorry to be so blunt, but the examples you offer are merely the tip of the iceberg, and I'm sorry I wasted good money on such bad writing.

[Turkeybuster]

Probably made in China!

Jon

[DylanT]

Probably made in China!

Jon

LOL. If only that were the excuse!

[Kawboy888]

Yes is the answer to your question. A book like this was published one of two ways, self publishing or contract publishing. To self publish a book you write it, work a deal with a publishing company, pay them to print x amount of copies and keep all of the sales money yourself. Most small books are self published. You can pay the publishing company a fee to have them edit the book. Author House is a publishing company that does a lot of this business.

Usually what happens is you write a book, you have your friends read it over for editing. You send it to the publishing company, they edit the book, then you have them print a couple hundred copies. You will find errors, every time, at least two or three. You contact the publishing company, they correct these errors so by the second printing of the book, it should be error free.

I have read a lot of books and was involved in the process of writing a book called, "Standing on Holy Ground" by June Cerza Kolf. I learned a lot through that experience.

So yes, spelling errors are a given on the first printing of a book.