So you've finished your book or short story or latest blog post. You think it's ready for that audience you're slowly building. You submit the book to Smashwords, upload the short story on Koobug.com, or post your blog piece on your GoodReads page. All done, you think. But then, after a few days, you go back and re-read your work, or, worse yet, you receive notice from others who have been reading this hard-fought creation that there exists within the text an error or two. Maybe it's something as simple as a typo. We're all guilty of that from time to time. Perhaps it's a misspelled word. It could also be a more serious issue, a thing like, oh, I don't know, a sentence that really doesn't make much sense.

This sort of mistake happens often enough to warrant mention. Misplaced commas, missing commas, bad punctuation; these errors seem to find their way into published works sold all across the world through Amazon, Smashwords, or any of the myriad publishing outlets available to us authors.

Just how do these missteps make it into published works? Shouldn't they be cleaned up before they get to the intended audience? Of course they should. That's where editing and proofreading come into play.

Editors are there to clean up typos, poorly constructed sentences, missing or wrongly-added punctuation, and other errors an author might not fully comprehend. Proofreaders are those second and third sets of eyes needed to comb through the work as a reader, checking for errors, making sure the story flows without too many hiccups that drag an otherwise great piece into the dark and murky depths of mediocrity.

Most self-publishers pay the extra sum for these services. Others, filled with all the confidence of master wordsmiths, opt out of such frivolous wastes of money. And you can usually tell which is which by the finished product.

I'm not bashing; I'm just saying, is all. And that doesn't mean the story itself is awful, either. But try to hold on to readers who know those sentences are constructed poorly, or that there's a difference between which and witch, or the proper usage for words like your and you're, or there, their, and they're. Yes, there are plenty of published writers who lack comprehension in even these rudimentary rules of the craft. And we, as readers, become aware that certain writers lack this understanding because they chose to decline the editor option in the publishing package they purchased for the release their work to the world--warts and all.

I understand financial issues may prevent adding those extra expenditures. If that's the case, don't fret; you surely know people that love to read. Use these readers as your proofreaders. But be sure to pick those with a discerning eye for detail, a knowledge of proper English, and an understanding of punctuation. You wouldn't appoint Great Uncle Seamus to translate the Dead Sea Scrolls with his third grade education, would you? After all, the only things on the line are your work, your name, and your reputation.

And just for the record: there were a couple of typos that made it into my novel Jazz Baby. This happened despite a professional edit and a pair of proofreaders.

Here are a few indie novels that pretty much have it right:

Bridge Ices Before Road by Sienna Rose.
http://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Ices-Bef...

The Assassin Princess by Blake Rivers.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Assassin-Pr...

What Sara Saw by Stephen Geez.
http://www.amazon.com/What-Sara-Saw-e...

Papala Skies by Stephen Geez.
http://www.amazon.com/Papala-Skies-St...

Each of these books can be purchased on Amazon. I recommend all four.