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Kim Falconer, writing, Troy, Mercury retrograde, Continuity, publishing, editing, film continuity, script director, Brad Pitt, Edward, Twilight, typos, errors, editorial process, speculatice fiction, film, authors, participation mystique, Chamber of Secrets, Captain Jack Sparrow, The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, storytellers, homeric nod, inconsistancy, anachronism
… et idem indignor quandoque bonus dormitat Homerus
And yet I also become annoyed whenever the great Homer nods off. – Horace 23BCE
I posted this on the Supernatrual Underground the other day but didn’t mention the tie in with Mercury Rx. Of course we ‘nod’ more often then! How’s everyone going? Any conundrums?
The ‘Homeric Nod’, or continuity as we now call it, has been a problem for thousands of years. Some deliberate, most accidental, continuity is an age old challenge for storytellers everywhere.
I have a friend who teaches the ins and outs of continuity (known also as script direction). She’s brilliant, and no small fry, having been the ‘scripty’ on films as fabulous as The Matrix series, The Lord of the Rings (all three) and soon to be released, The Hobbit. I did tech support for a class she gave last week and I found film continuity not all that different from the issues a novelist faces. A lot of the techniques for catching these errors in film translate well for authors, and it does make a huge difference, having the continuity water tight.
Why?
Because unless it’s a comedy, seeing or reading an anachronism, inconsistency or error will jolt the reader/viewer out of the participation mystique of the story. Suddenly they are no longer ‘with’ the characters but back in the audience, scratching their heads because a jet just flew over ancient Troy. Oh boy. That’s almost as bad as Edward saying that Carlisle, in 1660, “actually found a coven of true vampires that lived hidden in the sewers of the city . . .” when said sewage system wouldn’t be built for another two hundred years. If the reader knows their history, it’s going to snap them out of ‘it’, and that’s definitely not the goal.
As we can see, big name authors with major publishing houses are not exempt from these problems. Did anyone catch in Chamber of Secrets where Dumbledore tells Harry that Lord Voldemort is the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin. Sure JKR meant descendant but why didn’t the editorial process, and the author, pick that up? (It’s been corrected in later print runs, something film editors can’t do!) Readers are very good at spotting such things and a lot of subsequent print run corrections are due to them writing in. Don’t be shy. Your authors appreciate it!
Usually novelists have more control over continuity than script directors on a film set. What writer, for example, would have gorgeous Captain Jack Sparrow about to say something mouth-watering-witty with the ticky-tag on his bandanna showing? Novelists aren’t dependent on air traffic, sound artists, make up or wardrobe to get it right. But we do end up being all of the above and more when it comes to the final product – a book in the reader’s hands. When the ‘poor continuity’ hammer falls; it falls squarely on the author’s head. It’s not like we haven’t had a chance to make corrections.
1) Author hands in manuscript
2) Editor makes general comments
3) Author applies suggestions
4) Editor rereads and may return with more suggestions or send on to the structural editor
5) Structural editor edits the entire ms for form, structure, consistency, meaning, grammar, spelling, context, you name it
6) Ms returns to author to approve or reject suggested changes or rewrite scenes
7) Ms goes to copy editor who edits for grammar and spelling mostly but also consistency, meaning and clarity.
8) Ms returns to author to put in changes/rework
9) Ms goes to proofreaders where one to six proofreaders mark errors and make comments. All the comments from various proofreaders are then transcribed onto one manuscript which the publishing editor reviews. At HarperCollins Aus, this would then result in a phone call (sometimes lasting hours) where the question marks and quirks and ‘ifs’ are discussed with the author. The editor puts in agreed changes.
10) The ms then goes to typesetting and the resulting ‘fourth pages’ are sent to the author to proof.
11) The author catches any errors and shoots the ms back to the publisher (This process is repeated with third, and second pages until they are down to the first pages complete with the dedication, acknowledgements and copyright info.)
12) The author checks those first pages and returns to editor (the turn around time become increasingly shorter with each of these steps)
13) Ms is off to print. Yay!
It’s not a haphazard process, yet still mistakes appear. My friend the script director says that in film, it’s often down to the editing process where they have better shot, even with an inconsistency. They’ll take acting over continuity every time.
How about you, readers? Have you ever loved a book but wanted to throw it across the room because of the mistakes or typos? I bet this writer (below) wishes he’d had a copy editor on board! O. M. G #14!
Hi Kim! I can totally sympathize with you! I must be a “natural editor” type person – can’t help it – always spotting the errors everywhere. With emphasized 3rd and 6th houses and Mercury in Cap, I am strict! Not only do errors in books drive me bonkers, but also in forums, Facebook, and the internet in general where I feel people are just not even caring any more. As for movies, I would make a good continuity script director….always spotting the incongruities and discrepancies there too. Not saying I’m perfect, but continuity is important to me.
You would make a great beta reader/editor/script director! There is such a huge market for that, esp now that so may writers are self publishing. Those that do not hire editors and proofreaders are suffering. I’ve put books by promising authors down for lack of polish. If it’s an early draft, fine, but not something that is marketed as a final product.
Editing and spotting typos is such an interesting process (I’m in the middle of one). I’m great at editing other’s stuff for comprehension, but am also a huge fan of long rambling sentences with lots of commas. Word spell checking has a lot to answer for. And bloody auto suggest.
Incomplete sentences and texts/posts with missing vowels etc. irk me. As does lol. Oh my god even typing that horrible over/misused acronym makes me feel a bit icky.
Of course I make typos all the time typing on my phone and people are allowed to express themselves however they like …
I find it most problematic when someone is claiming to speak to you with authority, and yet text is full of typos. I’ve had university notes like that which essentially undermined all the learning value.
My mercury is in Taurus and in the 10th, conjunct Gemini sun, sextile Saturn. So yes a bit of a stickler for communication as presentation.
(best reread for typos now)
Lol irks me too, Shell….and I can’t believe how many people are still using this outdated shortform. I always just use: “hahahaha” It’s more natural!
Oh gosh, you guys. I’m a fan of lol
Obviously not in formal writing but in text and posts I find it fun, and fast! heheh I even used OMG in the post!!! I thought it fitting with the embarrassing, for the author, biblical typo.
Shell, you would love my USA editor. She’s putting in comas where I couldn’t even imagine they would need to be. Editing now as well, with a Dec 3 deadline! Back to it!
I love ha! and *snort* for when that’s what one’s actually doing. I love the onomatopoeic aspect.
(haha) Please change end of last sentence to “discrepancies there TOO.” At least I make an effort, and honest errors are forgiven, but slackness is not.
heheh, I had a few readers email me the errors on this POST when it first went up. You caught yourself fast! I can learn from that!
With Mercury and Venus and Saturn in Libra, i reckon i have the ultimate say here. Perfectionism has its place. Errors are irksome.
Wouldn,t u attribute so:-)-called imperfections, such as might ! Be apparent here with my present inauguration into the world of ,tablets /ipods with VIRGO?!
I attribute Capricorn with building, not so much amending.:-)
And with much else!with chanelled writings over the past 2:-)/3 decades, i,ve found that the person actually Grounding with words was a Capricorn.
Whoops:-) mercury, venus and saturn are in virgo here….. shall blame my new tool.
Any whoops or parapraxis are conveniently attributed to Mercury Rx! I think Saturn with Mercury in any sign is going to have some authority on the editorial process! Virgo all the more so. Such a wonderful eye for detail! Thanks for dropping in!