I AM NOT SILENTLY CORRECTING YOUR GRAMMAR

Memes like this have become rather popular lately (or at least, amongst my facebook friends)

And, honestly... they do make me chuckle.

They also make me cringe a little. Because I'm afraid people think this is true of me.

But it isn't.

Yes, I'm an English-Education major. And, yes, it's more than just what I chose to study in college, it's deep inside my bones. I love reading. I love writing. I enjoy spelling tests, long discussions about themes and characters, using a thesaurus, reading books like "Eats, Shoots, and Leaves," and looking things up in a dictionary.

I get a kick out of things like this:

I also notice typos. I'm sorry, I can't help it. I just do.

However, all of this does NOT mean that I am sitting here in a conversation silently correcting your grammar as you speak. I'm most likely simply listening to what you're saying. I use incorrect grammar all the time when I talk. I say, "Derek and me are going to the movies," and "Wow, you did that so good!" and I use the word "irregardless" even though I know it's not a word.

If you send me a message on facebook or an email and you make a spelling error, I'm not going to roll my eyes or grind my teeth in frustration. I will probably notice it if it's glaring. But for me, finding typos is simply... FUN. It's like figuring out a word in a crossword puzzle, or spotting the hidden picture, or guessing a question on Jeopardy correctly. For me, noticing a typo is less about the fact that a typo has been made, and far more about the fact that I caught it. It brings a sense of accomplishment.

I also enjoy finding the odd typo in books I read, because it is comforting to know that even the editors over at TOR and DAW don't catch everything.

However, if the book is filled with errors, it will eventually get to the point where it is hard for me to focus on the story, because too many typos is distracting (and, sometimes frustrating, because they are most often found in self-pubbed books... a trend that is certainly part of what contributes to the stigma surrounding indie books). So, a typo or two in a book doesn't drive me up the wall. Over a dozen of them will definitely be worth noting in a review, however.

(Had to include this one, because it contains my current number-one personal spelling pet peeve)

But, please, don't assume that simply because you see me correct someone's typo on a facebook post that it's because I'm just a jerk. Don't refrain from talking to me because you're worried I'll be silently correcting your spoken grammar (I could care less about spoken grammar, and as I said above, I often make mistakes myself). If I "correct" someone on facebook, it is because I am good enough friends with that person that I know they can handle a little teasing AND I know they are as picky about typos as I am (and that they will be amused, and not hurt, by the fact that I pointed out their typo!)

Of course... I can't say that this isn't  sometimes true:

And... one for the road...

What about you? Do you notice typos or other grammatical errors in writing? Which ones particularly "bother" you?

And don't forget to enter the giveaway I've got running for your choice of any one of the Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Heartless, Veiled Rose, Moonblood, Starflower, or Dragonwitch). You can find the giveaway at the bottom of THIS BLOG POST 

Or you can enter over on MY FACEBOOK PAGE

Also, I was featured over on the Homeschool Authors' blog yesterday, and they are running a giveaway of one copy of King's Warrior!