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On Writing - Fact Checking - Does It Matter?

By James Marinero

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 28Oct2011
Word count: 774
Viewed: 86 time(s)

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We write novels, and then work hard to build sales. We want not just readers but followers who will come back for more. However, it is easy to lose this opportunity to capture future readership. I was recently reading a thriller written by a New York Times #1 Best Seller name. He has numerous books to his credit and is obviously successful. However, my enjoyment of the book was spoiled by numerous inaccuracies of fact. I struggled through, almost to the end, but couldn't finish the book. I wouldn't want to read another of his works.

Now, it may well be that he has a team of writers working for him - (indeed the joins are visible in places) - but basic facts are easy to check.

I've read many hundreds of books over my lifetime, and know what spoils a book for me. I have a critical (yes, and aging) brain and reasonably wide knowledge, so I feel suitably qualified to question these matters. It follows that my own writing is informed both by my reading and by my experience. When I write, I research thoroughly and have my facts checked independently. I would be mortified if the sort of basic errors that were in 'that book' were found in any of my work. I am not talking here about typos and grammatical errors. If it is production line writing, then they need a quality circle in their writing factory.

I love escapist reading, but inaccurate facts bring me back to reality, closing the escape.

What is possibly more concerning is that this author's books are published by one of the world's leading publishers. Don't the publishers have editors and fact checkers?

Am I being excessively picky about the detail? Maybe I'm a lone reader in this respect. Does it spoil the enjoyment for other people too? The title author is obviously popular - (he sells millions) - so I assume that the good points in his work outweigh the negatives that I see, in the minds of most of his readers.

Maybe it's just that I am not in the target market of this author. To what level of reader is he trying to appeal?

One final point. The reviews for the work, by leading publishers' periodicals, are glowing, with no mention of the poor level of quality control and frequent factual errors which are obvious to anyone with half a brain.

So, the failure is on three levels - the author (and his team), the publisher, and the trade press which is not suitably critical. A less charitable person might say that the publishers' ads fund the trade press, but I shan't go down that road.

Sadly, I've added his name to my list of two (now three) authors whose work I avoid. No doubt, there are some that will put me on their list too, as I'm a detail person when it comes to writing. I don't believe that everything has to be explained, or should be explained, to the reader. However, facts should be checked.

James Marinero writes topical thrillers with espionage and geopolitical themes. There's lots more about James and his writing at his website and growing Chinese espionage, financial and military power in 'Gate of Tears' .

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