Do you use chapters in fiction books and novellas? For online writing and book publishing I like to use them since they're a major element of navigation. Reading? Conversely to me it hardly matters. Whether a fiction book has chapters, parts, sections or not is low on my priority list for novel reading, as long as the writing flows.
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Chapter formatting is a bit of a pain at first. For self-publishers patience is a major asset. Once you learn to do it, it becomes like factory work. Mentality switches from intuitive creator to detail-oriented geek. I want my manuscript to look as it will to the reader when I give it to the proofreader. He likes chapters.
Especially for self-publishers and indie authors it's essential to have someone else read and check your work before you put it into the public eye. Bad grammar is a huge turn-off unless it's done in dialogue or first person POV for a reason.
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Readers are educated people. Bad spelling and grammar are insults. Lack of consistency can ruin a story. It feels like the writer's out of touch, immature or doesn't care about her work. It's like serving tinned spaghetti to a four-star Italian chef.
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Bad spelling - seriously, use spellcheck before sending a manuscript to the proofreader. Spellcheck won't work for everything. I recall an author's promo blurb about the "grizzly murder" in her mystery book (it had nothing to do with bears).
While spellcheck isn't infallible it will uncover a lot of spelling mistakes you didn't know you made. I speak from experience. Trust your proofreader or editor to find others you might have missed.
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An eye on consistency is essential. One character popping up in the wrong place for no reason might get a laugh, or perhaps the writer's embraced an obscure literary genre, but always check and double-check and have it read for consistency of plot, action, props, clothing, environment, time periods and characters.
If the book goes into print it's a major hassle correcting errors. Online it's just a quick upload, but of course we want it at its best the first time. That frees the way to focus on how to sell your book. Marketing should be done before the book is published, and kicks into high gear as this literary masterpiece approaches release date.
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