Screenwriting : The Curse of the Sneaky Typos by Paul Norman Rich

Just be glad that nobody outside of competitions and low-rent consultants particularly cares. A few typos here and there are fine. I know of industry members who actually worry a script can look too polished as if a writer's spent too long preening it.

Tanks for the coment.

I try like hell to spot them, while some strays still always fall through. It happens. I've seen typos in bestselling books, which left me shocked.

I agree with CJ. One or two won't make a reader throw your script out of the window if the rest of it is good. Craft is much more than just spelling words rghit. ;)

No i never inferred a script would be thrown out for one or two typos. But as we all prefer there are none, it is always so aggravating when you can't always catch the buggers.

Interesting Gary. I like The Simpsons too. :}

I just did this today. One of my scripts is being read over by an exec through a pitch session request and OMG! I found a few typos. I even sent that one to an editor, and now I'm freaking out.

Dawn. Don't freak out. Nobody is going to pass on a screenplay because of a few typos.

Thank you, Dan. I'm crossing fingers and toes one this one.

You are welcome and I hope it works out for you.

In all operating systems there is an “accessibility” setting that has Text-To-Speach”. Turn it on.

I use that to get everything read to me. Emails, scripts, documents. This has saved me. The best thing about having a machine read it. Is that it removes your enthusiasm and reads what is really there (commas, breaks etc).

I will type “of” instead of “For”, “then” for “they” I have some entrenched bad typing behaviours that a few careful listens picks up.

The very worst typo you can make takes only one key stroke ... when you attribute dialogue to the wrong character. An anecdote. When I was hiring a proofreader at MGM when I was first hired there, management wanted me to hire a highly touted executive assistant. Sadly I could not. She had three glaring typos on her resume.

Paul. A proofreader making three typos on a resume is a lot different than a screenwriter having a few typos in a screenplay. If a producer passes on a screenplay because of a few typos they should be fitted for a straitjacket.

That is why I said anecdote. Of course there is no relation.

Typos are a non issue. There are traditional reasons for it. One, the tools just aren't there for it. Final Draft is just horrible at proofreading - it really isn't that great of a word processor. An example, try to go back and change a character's name to something else and try to find all the prior examples without driving yourself crazy. And, at the end of the day, scripts are a fluid thing and everyone knows that they will change. The only thing that matters is that when someone reads the script they understand what's going on - a typo or two usually won't change that.

I know exactly what you mean, Paul. I get more work proofreading and editing other people's scripts than from those who want feedback and notes.

One or two typos are common. Even if you manually search for them in every manuscript or script ten times I would be someone would find one. Your mind doesn't need every letter in its place for it to know what word it is or even can see words out of order and can "auto-correct" for lack of a better term in your head. I think when it becomes an issue is when you are seeing misspellings and punctuation errors on every other page. as that shows you have not done a good editing job.

A typo hear & there is certainly not a worthy issue - we all make 'em. Unfortunately there are a few over wound anal retentive types out there who live to find 'em. Everybody's got a hobby.

After writing in Movie Magic or Final Draft or Fade In or what have you if you print a PDF and proof in it, you'll find more. Something about the different "look". Also turn off auto-correct and suggestion in your programs. Those are insidious bastards (sic).

Printing it out and finding the errors with a red pen usually makes it easier to spot than on a screen.

Hi Paul,

Yeah...the one you mentioned is of the homophone typo variety. I critique/proofread scripts for some people and usually find at least 100 homophone typos, and sometimes over 200. "An, and", "hear, here", "to, too, two", "their, there", "steal, steel", "duel, dual", etc...etc. There sure are a lot of homophones in the English language.

Best fortunes in your creative endeavors, Paul, and stay safe!

Never rely on spell check. I worked as an editor for years, and still find it difficult to catch my own typos.

Yes! I've read my script a 100 times and am still missing typos. That is why I have it proofread.

I noticed that I put the wrong character's name in dialogue. She was basically commenting about herself when it was suppose to be someone else. I've submitted it so it kinda sucks. I'm hoping that the story is strong enough for them to overlook this error.

Christine. That is common when writing a screenplay using software like Final Draft. especially if you have character names that start with the same letter. I am sure the person you sent it to knows how that happens and will over look it.

Thanks Dan!