Real Words

I wrote a post earlier in the week describing the fact that I don’t think typos are that big of a deal. As a writer, I definitely make sure to proofread my work so that others don’t see typos because I think it’s the professional thing to do. But if it were up to me, people would be a lot less judgmental about the occasional typo because I really don’t think they matter much in the big scheme of a written piece.

In fact, I think that typos can be really inspiring when I see them in other people’s work. Here are some of the ways that you might think about being inspired the next time that you see a typo in someone’s work:

• Take time to wonder about why the typo happened. Imagine the author writing that piece of work and why he ended up with a typo. You just might find that this wondering leads to the development of a character in your next story. 
• Ask yourself what the author really meant. Assess whether the typo makes any difference to that intended meaning. If not, let yourself think about the reasons that we take typos so seriously when they don’t really matter much.
• Let your mind wander over the different meanings that are created when an amusing typo crops up.
• Look at the word that’s been misspelled and see how many other words - real and imagined - can be created out of changing around those same letters.
• Let each typo be a reminder to come back to the piece. Most of us read with half our attention while thinking about (or doing) other things. A typo catches our attention and refocuses us on the page. Let each one be a reminder to really pay attention to what you’re reading.
• Look at the typo and see if it’s a nonsense word. If it is, spend some time brainstorming what that word could mean if it was a real word. Sound it out. Ask yourself what it feels like. Be inspired by the mistake.

I know that I’m one of very few people - and certainly very few professional writers - who don’t believe that typos are a big deal. But it’s true, I don’t. And I think they can be inspiring if we look for the inspiration in them. Let’s have more fun with our words, especially when they don’t come out the way that we intended.

Question of the Day: Can you imagine that typos are a source of inspiration?

[Tags] typo, edit, freelance, writing, copyediting, inspiration, creativity [/Tags]