Typo Alert

The Grammopticon has started posting typos she finds in print books on Twitter, using the tag #typo, and encourages you to do the same. This is not to shame any publisher, by any means: publishing houses are full of people (not in top management, necessarily, but that's another post) who care very much about perfection and want to know about missed errors so they can try to fix them in future editions and future printings. I recommend you include the book's title, ISBN (to distinguish between editions), publisher, and the specific error and location (e.g., page 22, third paragraph). That's the information I want for the books published by my employer.

Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone misses mistakes, especially when working fast and seeing the same set of pages for a title repeatedly. That's not an excuse, however, for shabby, error-ridden books. As a reader, if I see that the publisher doesn't care enough to correct numerous typos, I have to wonder whether that publisher cares enough to deliver good quality in any other respect. Or are they just hoping that an appealing title and an attractive cover will be enough to catch my eye, and they can just grab my money and run before I discover that what's inside is shoddy and careless?

If the publishing industry thinks in the latter terms, it deserves exactly what it gets.

Most books are made by careful publishing professionals who are just pressed for resources and maybe seeing what they expect to see on the page rather than what's there. Let's help those people out by serving as their backup proofreaders. And if the information helps them point out to their corporate masters that readers do notice when time and resources don't permit doing a thorough job, well, so much the better.

Cause and Effect

"Affect is a verb; effect is a noun," you say. That's true. You think you're terribly clever for knowing that, don't you? But it is also true that affect is a noun and effect is a verb. Still so clever?

Affect (verb) means to have an impact on, do something to something. Global warming affects the polar ice.
Effect (verb) means to cause something; the most common expression is to "effect change."
Affect (noun) is most commonly a psychological term, meaning someone's outward emotional appearance. When we read that the serial killer seemed like a nice, normal guy, we're discussing his affect. (Pronunciation note: the noun affect gets emphasis on the first syllable.)
Effect (noun) is the result of a cause. The effect of higher global temperatures is polar ice melting. The effect of the serial killer's deceiving affect was that his victims didn't fear him.

Now you are terribly clever. At least regarding these two words.

Extraneous Verbiage and Other Pomposity

Simple, simple rule for clear writing: If you wouldn't use the word or phrase in conversation, you probably don't need it in writing, either. Two quick examples:

utilize: It means use. Use use. You'll save yourself keystrokes and your reader time. And people will focus on what you're trying to say, rather than thinking you're trying to sound impressive, and wondering if that's because you're trying to hide the fact that you have no idea what you are talking about.

hitherto, heretofore, thenceforth: When was the last time you used these words in conversation? Do you even know what they mean? Unless you are a lawyer or a Shakespearean actor, you don't need them.

This is not to say that we should write exactly as we speak. But why be less clear in writing than we are in conversation? English isn't that difficult: you speak it every day!