What can we do about well-meaning editors (or editorial assistants) who cannot spell and who, in performing their duties, "correct" the spelling of a word we have already spelled correctly? Whew! That was a mouthful. Let me illustrate the problem. I do not for a minute believe Jim Butcher does not know the correct spelling of "dais," a word he uses several times in his third Harry Dresden novel, GRAVE PERIL. However, in the paperback release of this novel the word is misspelled EVERY time as "dias." I can only conclude that someone "corrected" his spelling of the word after he reviewed the galley proofs. I see this kind of thing so often, I wonder that it has not already come up for discussion. How do we writers protect ourselves from these well-meaning, but poorly educated idiots?
BTW, both of these words pass the Word spellchecker test, so it I do not believe it is a matter of having a tool that provides the incorrect spelling to the publishing house employee.
