Struck by lightening?

Another error that isn't caught by spell check is lightning vs lightening.

I think it's mostly because our minds tend to automatically fill in the meaning. Still, it's worth doing a search before you send your manuscript off!

If something is getting brighter whether in color or mood or attitude, it is lightening (to be grammatically specific, it's the present participle of  "to lighten"). If there's a flash in the night, a storm, or a strike of brilliance, it's lightning (usually a noun).

Sometimes the distinctions can seem subtle, but the savvy reader will spot the errors!

going down with the ship...

Another error I’ve seen crop up this month is naval vs. navel.  It’s one thing if you get it mixed up, but if a hero or heroine does in an intimate moment with a partner, it might get messy--and certainly take a reader out of the moment!

Just remember that your belly button looks more like an orange than a ship, and you might not need to sink your head in shame... :)

(This orange was soon plucked from Sandy Chovostal's tree when I was vising OCC a few years ago....)

When you're not Stationery...

Walking around the streets in New York, I do see a lot of bodegas (like a corner deli elsewhere but carrying a lot more interesting stuff!) and such that say “Stationary” on the awning. And I also find that error a lot in manuscripts and books! So my little personal trick with this is to ask if they will need an Envelope. If so, then use the “e”. If not, the message isn’t going anywhere and the stationary version is right.

I’ll see if I can find a picture for this--it’s usually not too hard, but I don't always track them. :)