What not to do in publishing
I am a pedant for the english language. I can't help it. Seeing punctuation and grammar being abused or words - especially the simple ones - misspelt through sheer laziness really winds me up. You can therefore probably imagine that I spend a lot of my online time in a state of frustration when I see text speak on myspace or facebooks. Really, there is no need. Even those too lazy to bother learning now have access to spellchecks on pretty much every computer so they really have no excuse left.
While I understand that the internet is no place to play Language Police, you would think that maybe, just maybe online magazines would be of a higher standard than your average 14 year old's myspace written in StIcKy CaPs. The knowledge that you are a legitimate publication would surely push you to check your vitals before you hit publish? Apparently not.
A new magazine, Flirt is now firmly at the top of my Most Wanted for Abuse of the English Language. Apart from attempting to be an even lower rent mens' mag than Nuts or Zoo (yes, it is possible), it has more appalling spelling, grammar and punctuation errors than a illiterate 10 year old's essay. I was pointed in it's direction after a topic on Digital Spy and could not quite believe the sloppy work. Note to it's editor: You are only highlighting your crappy content (Billi from Big Brother? Oh Dear) with your inability to string a sentence together coherently.
I know some of you out there will think me bitchy and decry me for slagging off what is essentially still a new magazine that is unsteady on it's feet and still looking for better content. Well, if a magazine starts out poorly, how will it keep its' readers and maybe gain some, adding better advertisers and start generating money if it's editor cannot even write properly? In short, it won't. Instead, it will die a slow and pitiful death, losing someone along the way a lot of money and another losing their dream.
While I understand that the internet is no place to play Language Police, you would think that maybe, just maybe online magazines would be of a higher standard than your average 14 year old's myspace written in StIcKy CaPs. The knowledge that you are a legitimate publication would surely push you to check your vitals before you hit publish? Apparently not.
A new magazine, Flirt is now firmly at the top of my Most Wanted for Abuse of the English Language. Apart from attempting to be an even lower rent mens' mag than Nuts or Zoo (yes, it is possible), it has more appalling spelling, grammar and punctuation errors than a illiterate 10 year old's essay. I was pointed in it's direction after a topic on Digital Spy and could not quite believe the sloppy work. Note to it's editor: You are only highlighting your crappy content (Billi from Big Brother? Oh Dear) with your inability to string a sentence together coherently.
I know some of you out there will think me bitchy and decry me for slagging off what is essentially still a new magazine that is unsteady on it's feet and still looking for better content. Well, if a magazine starts out poorly, how will it keep its' readers and maybe gain some, adding better advertisers and start generating money if it's editor cannot even write properly? In short, it won't. Instead, it will die a slow and pitiful death, losing someone along the way a lot of money and another losing their dream.
posted by adulescent at 11:41 AM
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