Is There An Editor In The House?
Every once in awhile, I like to point out the errors, omissions and moments that scream “what the hell were you thinking?” of those who make their living with words.
You’ve seen them yourself: From the minor typos that have escaped the editors’ eyes right on up to paragraphs of marketing copy that sound like they’ve been written by a first-term ESL student, bad writing is everywhere.
Months ago, a blogger with no apparent sense of humour commented that in doing this, I was biting the hand that feeds me, and that I should perhaps look in the mirror (or on my own screen) first before I start giggling at the shortcomings of others.
Where’s the fun in that?
Whether we’re starving or swimming, gainfully employed or scraping by, we’re all writers, and we’re all human beings. When we discover a mistake on the page or the screen, it’s in everybody’s best interests to see it, note it, slap ourselves in the head if it’s ours, then laugh it off and start again. It’s nothing personal, and it’s no big deal.
So with that in mind, I bring you “Is There An Editor In The House? The Cookbook Edition.” Recently I won a cookbook. It was put together by a local chef and included recipes from many of Toronto’s top restaurants. Several “celebrity chefs” also contributed, and the whole thing was endorsed by the Mayor and City Council. Proceeds from the book sales will go to benefit a local food bank, but a few copies were made available for prizes, and that’s how I got mine.
The book, on first blush, was well-produced. The recipes were a bit out of my reach, as they all seemed to be just a bit too fancy. The ingredients were high-end, the flavours were complicated, and I really didn’t see these dishes making it to my table anytime soon. I filed the book away for future reference.
I took the cookbook out again a few weeks later, and took a whole new interest in its contents. Recipes started to appeal to me. The food seemed a bit more approachable. I made note of a few dishes that I might want to try.
Then, it happened.
The words started jumping off the pages: Glaring grammatical errors, typos, and massive omissions of thought. I giggled, then groaned. I phoned Ray to share, then I laughed again. I toyed with the idea of posting a few selections, the wondered if that blogger would find me again and try to hurt my feelings. Then I thought “bugger it.” “Let’s have a little fun.”
The names have been omitted to protect the writer from lawsuits.
“….. and ….. Tapas and Wine Bar are the creation of …….. one of North America’s leading chefs and restauranteur…….”Personalized menus designed under the watchful eye of….. and his well trained staff are available to anyone seeking quality entertaining at home or at venue of their choices.”
“……is highly recommended by Zagat and was recently toted by Wallpaper Magazine as one of the city’s best restaurant.”
“Superfluity experience has perfected our business for professionals, social and special occasions, suitable lunches, and romantic dinners.”
“Leather chairs, linens and a bar provide something for everyone.”
“In the words of CBC Radio anchor - Make it an event!”
And on it goes.
There is an Editor’s credit in this publication, but I wonder if somewhere in the process, the person involved said “Screw it. I’ve donated my time. Let it go.” If they did, that’s a shame. The book is a nice piece of work, but it comes off as a bit un-polished and amateur, simply because of oversights like these. I only hope they pay a bit more attention to detail when they get to work on the Second Edition.
Sunday November 04, 2007 | 12:13 PM in Food | Media | Odds and Sods | Writing
