You want to be a writer. So you write and write and write. But still no one seems to take you seriously. You’re following the submission guidelines, you’ve addressed the cover letter to the correct person, even used the correct gender title of address. So why do you keep getting these rejections?
I’m going to put my editor hat on for a moment and ask you to look at your manuscript again. And then I’m going to ask you to pull out the dictionary and look up all the words you use. Each one. Why? Because I’ve noticed a disturbing trend of writers who have problems with homonyms.
Let’s start with the traditional dictionary definition (courtesy of http://dictionary.reference.com) of the subject in question.
Homonym – “a word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not.”
Now, here are the Great Offenders.
Confusing “their,” “there,” and “they’re.” “Their” is a possessive of “they” meaning a group of somethings or someones owns a particular thing. “There” is a place. “They’re” is a contraction of “they are.”
Confusing “break” with “brake.” One is a stop or a moment of rest. One is a vehicle part.
“Great” vs. “grate.”
At this point, I’m not going to define the words. Check the link above if you want to understand the differences.
“Affect” vs “effect” is one of the more difficult ones. This might get a pass from me, depending on my mood.
“Check” vs. “cheque.” Yes, there is actually a difference, depending on what meaning of “check” you’re using.
“Inspire” vs. “aspire.”
“Bare” vs. “bear.”
“Hare” vs. “hair.”
“No” vs. “know” vs. “now” -> Yes, this too happens.
“Two” vs. “to” vs. “too.”
Any word that starts with “mis.” Should you be using “miss” or “mis?”
Spellcheckers can’t read your mind. Both “bare” and “bear” are correct in their universe. So a spellchecker cannot be relied upon as the only way of proofing your work.
I commonly see most of these errors in fan fiction. But as self-publishing picks up, these errors are making their way into mainstream fiction as well. I can forgive a certain percentage of mistakes. I certainly make some of my own, but usually not using words this simple. Many of these words are taught in elementary, junior high, and senior high school. Native English speakers should know these words, and their meanings, before they start submitting for publication. Any writer who’s work has these mistakes in them is likely to hit my reject pile.
Why, you might ask?
Because dictionaries, while expensive to buy, can be accessed via the local public library or online for free. Because a writer too lazy to check a dictionary obviously doesn’t enough about his or her work to make it presentable and polished.
Yes, I suppose that’s harsh of me. Understand, this comes from a girl who hated using the dictionary when she was a kid, and used to convince herself that dictionaries gave her migraines. Yet, I now have 5 different dictionaries and 5 different thesauruses on my various shelves (work, home, backpack). Online dictionaries are great because they can give suggestions if you misspelled the word, and they don’t weigh anything. For those with learning disabilities, therapists have tips and tricks on how to use these wonderful reference tools.
Bottom line, if you don’t take the time to care about your work, how am I (as an editor) supposed to care? And why would I take the time when there are so many people out in the world who don’t have a problem double-checking their work?
Editor rant completed. Return now to your normal programming.
