Okay, I do have a pet peeve when it comes to the writing world. Mine, similar to Kai's, has to do with American words becoming universally accepted as correct spelling. I've written pieces for online publication and have been ridiculed for my so called poor spelling. Those people are surely only showing their obvious ignorance and I can live with that. What really bothers me is the way the local newspaper has somehow taken on American spelling as normal, too. Each time I read the word jail in an Australian magazine, book or newspaper, I feel this deep irk inside me. I grew up learning the correct spelling to be gaol. Why did we go through the entire learning process of the teacher marking us for right or wrong if they were going to turn around in a few short years and accept the American spelling anyway?

I can't help feel this is simply laziness on the part of writers and editors. The computer programmes, another word my spell checker does not like, are set up as if America is the only place on earth where language originated. For my own personal writing on the computer I always use the Word Pad for word processing documents. It is simpler, sure, but I am not bothered by the silly squiggly red lines under my words. I'd rather keep the writing and the editing process apart. My brain handles it a lot better that way. Some time ago I took part in an online course that lasted an entire year. Of course I didn't finish the course. It was a long commitment and life tends to get in the way. But what I did write on that course was published in several places and I still refer back to some of those exercises. One in particular was useful to me because it helped me deal with my inner editor. The course was known as Inspirare and the exercise can be obtained from me if you send me an email. The copyright belongs to the owner of the website. She will not mind if I send you a copy, but I must also send her details along with it. I think you understand my need to protect her copyright.

What does this have to do with what I started to write about? The fact that I find it difficult to let the creative part of me create unhindered if the inner editor is there constantly looking over my shoulder with his snide remarks and sneering jests at everything the inner creative is trying to achieve. But once I let that editor have his way, his job is an important one. I dislike having to make allowances, after years of training through school, for there to be other spellings of the words I understand and know to be spelt another way. Hope that makes sense.

Another pet peeve is the level of poor editing in published works these days. I understand the two processes of writing and editing quite well, but it irks me as a reader to come across pieces that have made it through the entire process of readers, publishers, agents, editors and whoever else gets a look at it, to contain glaringly obvious mistakes. I've read novels by bestselling authors where there have been mistakes. I'm not talking one word, even though that is annoying. No, I'm talking entire sections. For example, I won't name the book, but I once read a lengthy Christian novel, which I'd describe as mediocre at best. The story was written in third person POV, but I come across a section, some five or so pages, and the POV has suddenly and unexplainably, changed to first person. Clearly the book was first written in first person and changed, but this section had somehow remained unchanged. I can't help feel the reader is not respected in these situations.

If I pay good money for a book I expect it to be well written and for mistakes to be spotted by those eagle-eyes editors. That's what I'm paying for. The writer has done their job and needs the help of someone else to look at it. This should never be a given. I read a novel by another bestselling author and the entire thing was in desperate need of a good edit. I felt insulted to try to read the sloppy work. I'd read other excellent novels by this author, and felt so ripped-off by the product I simply could not read it. If I'd had time I'd have complained. I've done it before.

One time I read a Mills & Boon romance, one of those Intrigue ones they're no longer continuing with these days. (Or are they? I haven't checked.) The story had so many problems I just don't know how it was published. So I sat down and wrote them a letter. Much to my surprise I received an apology, a box of five books, and a thank you letter for reading and responding. I'd actually forgotten about it once I got the rant off my chest.

That brings me to the bottom line. All of us writers, working and writing so hard. We're constantly told to pay attention to the spelling and grammar and then books like that are published. It wouldn't bother me so much if it didn't happen so often. But I see it all the time. I hardly pick up a book, paper or mag these days that does not have at least one error of some sort. I just don't think it's good enough. Anyway, I've raved on enough for now. I’m looking forward to reading your entries, my fellow Boot Camp co-writing companions.