Gareth Davies Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 What should one do if one notices an error in a book. I have just read an account of an action where the author has made the very simple mistake of saying that X Bn was on the left of the British line when they were on the right. Should one let it go? Should one email the publisher? Should one raise it on GWF? What's the done thing, especially when the error is easily noticed and doesn't detract from the overall story.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 Publishers rarely take any interest in errors - unless there is a reprint, and some times not even then in my experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripeyman Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 Write the correct information on the page, its your book you can do what you like with it. When it eventually passes to some else possibly on your death then the next reader will not be reading an error Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Shropshires Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 Has someone who has wrote a book, I would like any mistakes pointed out (I spotted a couple I made a few days after going to print )but I guess there are others who never make mistakes and would not be too please if someone seid they had made a mistake. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judy7007 Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 I've occasionally contacted the author - books and articles - been ignored and no correction forthcoming. Now rightly or wrongly I couldn't be bothered - error by two authors recently about my great great uncle being an All Black when he wasn't but so be it. Judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesmessenger Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 The best would bew to write to the author c/o the publisher. If it is the hardback edition that you have read and the paperback has not yet been published, he/she can correct it for that. Authors generally welcome errors pointed out to them. Charles M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judy7007 Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 Write the correct information on the page, its your book you can do what you like with it. When it eventually passes to some else possibly on your death then the next reader will not be reading an error Excellent idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 30 December , 2012 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2012 Bob G - Done. Charles - Thank you. You can rest easy, it wasn't one of your books (of which I have rather a lot at the moment due to a slight error when ordering just 2 of them from Prince Consort's Library). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 The best would bew to write to the author c/o the publisher. If it is the hardback edition that you have read and the paperback has not yet been published, he/she can correct it for that. Authors generally welcome errors pointed out to them. Charles M I agree. No author can be expert on every aspect of all those touched on in his book (or even covered in detail). Back in the 1990s I was a bit naive (OK, quite naive) about military postmarks and I was pleased to have a constructive and friendly exchange with an expert, whose views I reflected in a second edition. And this year one of my publishers contacted me about offering my efforts originally published as a traditional book in ebook format, and I was able to include a few amendments: a publisher's error I'd overlooked, a clarification and an improvement on my references to railway stations outside my locality of interest - thanks to a post by our highest-ranking member. (Yes, Centurion, that's you.) Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 I have had errors corrected in the second editions of a couple of books by the same author after I pointed them out, but he does happen to be a friend of mine. cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 I imagine any serious Historian would be happy to have errors corrected? Errors are quite rightly jumped on, on the forum, why should books be different? We're all after the truth, if it can be found, aren't we? Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 As an author, I'd rather know than not know. I'd then be in a position to correct it if the opportunity arose. Of course, other authors or publishers may not take the same view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil andrade Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 Errors should be addressed and authors contacted. The crucial thing is that this should be done sensitively and graciously. Phil (PJA) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 30 December , 2012 Share Posted 30 December , 2012 I suspect that the error-proof author has yet to be born. Point out by all means but the options available to the author and/or publisher are likely to be limited in many cases. And no easy way of correcting books already sold, of course. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gilly100 Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 HI All As someone who has published a few books, I would say it is better to be informed, so that any future editions can be corrected. Of course, how the mistake is brought to attention is a case in point. I know I referred to Lt Col Tom Todd of the 10th Light Horse Regt AIF as having 'represented NZ in rugby' (did not say an All Black). For this there were two articles of reference that said this, one being a Freemason's magazine obituary for the great Tom Todd. It also maintained he represented NZ in British football, so I assumed it may have been perhaps at a more junior level, hence the refraining from term All Black. Sorry Judy. One thing I know we got right was the book cover photo, with Tom Todd leading the regiment on horseback throught Perth. A cracking photo! For years the AWM had this photo on file, saying it was Lt Col Brazier!!! Just goes to show we are all fallible. I know I made a few other blues in the book, which when alerted, we corrected for the second edition. I am sure most authors worry just prior to going to print, but the button must be pushed at some stage. Certainly, I have made note of any more blues, and should a third edition go to print, they will be duly corrected. I personally appreciate being told of an error, but if it is delivered with no decorum, I have little time for the deilverer. From what I can see on this website, a very large majority of members and guests are only too willing to assist and onsite communication is top notch, hence its great popularity. Onward and upwards I say! Cheers Ian Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judy7007 Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 Hi Ian You are indeed one who would welcome any errors being brought to your attention. I know that. I'm sorry if it came across otherwise. I didn't mention your book (which I only received a month ago when Trevor brought it back from Oz). Before I received it, as you know I had emailed you to ask about the All Black statements in John Hamilton's book as I was very surprised to read them and I wondered if you had any more info. It was quite possible in my mind that you had unearthed info that I was not aware of. It is most understandable that the information in the obituaries would be interpreted the way it was and I was just pleased to find out the 'truth'. As we all know errors will always occur in books and there are authors who indeed are thankful to be informed about them. There are also those who, for whatever reason, do not want to be corrected. I have come across a couple of them and now just don't bother when I see an error. Someone else might tell them. If not, well I really don't care! Judy PS. Thrilled to finally get your book. It was a long wait as Trevor's trip to Oz had to be delayed. Well done. It is a great history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 I agree with much of what is said above. No author can be error-free and I am sure most would welcome information that assists correction of future editions or publications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil andrade Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 How mortifying it must be - for someone who has worked really hard for a long time - to discover that a silly error has spoilt all that effort! I notice a lot of typos that effectively ruin an otherwise brilliant narrative. Of course, the philosophical thing to do is resign oneself to this, and accept that these things happen. But it must be exasperating for the author. Happy New Year to all of you ! Phil (PJA) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 How mortifying it must be - for someone who has worked really hard for a long time - to discover that a silly error has spoilt all that effort! I notice a lot of typos that effectively ruin an otherwise brilliant narrative. Of course, the philosophical thing to do is resign oneself to this, and accept that these things happen. But it must be exasperating for the author. Phil (PJA) Like this one Click Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 How mortifying it must be - for someone who has worked really hard for a long time - to discover that a silly error has spoilt all that effort! I notice a lot of typos that effectively ruin an otherwise brilliant narrative. Of course, the philosophical thing to do is resign oneself to this, and accept that these things happen. But it must be exasperating for the author. Happy New Year to all of you ! Phil (PJA) As others have acknowledged, very few authors (if any) have never committed errors to print. As for typos, the responsibility has to be shared with the editor, proof-reader and, in pre-electronic days, the typesetter - though a gracious author will accept that the ultimate responsibility rests with him/her. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 (edited) Write the correct information on the page, its your book you can do what you like with it. When it eventually passes to some else possibly on your death then the next reader will not be reading an error Speaking as a book collector, could i just add,that if you are thinking of writing in a book,it may be a good idea to do it in pencil. Bookseller George Murdoch includes a free bookmark with each purchase,on which is written"A good book leaves it's mark upon the mind,but a good reader leaves no mark upon the book".I know that sometimes you can find some quite interesting annotations in books,especially if it's by the author or someone connected with the text but i have also seen valuable and rare books with needless annotations and underlinings in ink. Edited 31 December , 2012 by blackmaria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 Only once suggested to an author that he didn't have things quite right in a book - simple stuff (if I know it then it can't be that hard to find!) and I may as well have been talking to a brick wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judy7007 Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 Only once suggested to an author that he didn't have things quite right in a book - simple stuff (if I know it then it can't be that hard to find!) and I may as well have been talking to a brick wall. Can identify with that! But if an author wants to leave the error for all to see in the future, they are really the one who is the 'loser' so to speak. And yes, blackmaria, I would only ever, ever, ever mark a book in pencil. Judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 ... Bookseller George Murdoch includes a free bookmark with each purchase,on which is written"A good book leaves it's mark upon the mind,but a good reader leaves no mark upon the book"... I don't want to take this thread too far off-topic, but is George still active? A friendly guy. I used to subscribe to his Armchair Auctions printed catalogues of military books up to about eight years ago, but found that certain titles seemed to recur. And has he ever embraced the Internet; he never offered an email address. A Google didn't reveal much, except lots of entries in trade directories which I suspect lag behind the times. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 31 December , 2012 Share Posted 31 December , 2012 I don't want to take this thread too far off-topic, but is George still active? A friendly guy. I used to subscribe to his Armchair Auctions printed catalogues of military books up to about eight years ago, but found that certain titles seemed to recur. And has he ever embraced the Internet; he never offered an email address. A Google didn't reveal much, except lots of entries in trade directories which I suspect lag behind the times. Moonraker Yes,he is still sending out his catalogues.I received one a few days ago,he is not on the net though, as far as i am aware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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