A new blog to contain answers to prompts |
Since my old blog "Everyday Canvas " ![]() |
Prompt: Typos Does a typo annoy you? And can a typo ever lead to a misunderstanding or maybe even to an idea for a story or poem? ---------- Since I'm having a tiny bit of a problem with my eyesight recently, in addition to the smaller keyboard of the new laptop where my fingers end up hitting the wrong key, I keep making, no, I keep committing, typos a lot, whereas much earlier, I'd do next to nothing of the sort. Looking over what I write helps, but that's not always possible and neither is it reliable. So, yes! Typos I make annoy me greatly. I can, however, overlook typos in others' writing. On the negative side, a typo in a cover letter or a business email can hurt credibility. Then, a typo on social media is liable to mark a person for a long time, especially if a typo is a missing letter, such as the missing l in the word public. The worse is when I reread what I write before I send or post it, I might not catch that missing "l" and neither would AI or any other misfiring autocorrect. As in the word public with the missing l, a misplaced letter, an omitted word, or switched around syllables can turn a serious or a heartfelt text into something nonsensical or downright embarrassing. Then, what if typos aren't just mistakes but they are sparks for the imagination instead? Just picture someone writing 'grape expectations' instead of Great Expectations! While this could turn Charles Dickens in his grave, another writer could end up with a winning parody. Then, what if we talk about the angles in heaven instead of the angels in heaven? Can you imagine all those angles the residents of heaven may have to contend with? So, in this light, typos can act as portals opening to strange, funny, or eerie dimensions, to inspire us writers. This is even though typos may frustrate editors and writers themselves. I will, therefore, think twice over any typo I commit, since I have now looked at this situation from both angles, with all the writing angels hovering above me. Now, what are typos for? Nuisance or opportunity? I think it all depends on the eyes that catch them and what those eyes are willing to see. |