As I write these Writing Down the Bones posts you'll find I bounce around a little, depending on what I run across as I'm editing. This post is a perfect example. I've been working on editing the galleys for Dominated By Desire for its print release.
Never had to deal with anything like this before. When I sold to Harshell Word Factory and Melange the print copy released the same time as the electronic so whatever changes I made before publication went into both versions. Phaze releases the electronic version and based on sales they might release the print version. Dominated by Desire had been out a little over a year when I learned it would be released in print.
First I did the happy dance. Then I noticed that the release date came and went. Hmmm. I saw a memo that said something about galleys, but didn't give it a thought. Never dealt with those before. Those galleys showed up in my e-mail box for me to go through and proof.
You know what it taught me? You can always catch something you missed in the edits you did before. I was grateful there weren't too many but I found misspelled words, missing commas, things like that. And my editor and I went through that book with a fine tooth comb. How did those little buggers get through?
It's the author's dilemma.
As the writer you don't always notice the misspelled word, or even the wrong spelling but the right word, whether or not you have commas in the right place or overused words. After awhile you see what you think is on the page, not what is really there. That is why having a set of new eyes is important. Your editor or critique partner don't know the story as well as you do and will help you catch things you missed. Understand though that they aren't perfect.
Happy to say that the galleys are done And Dominated by Desire will be out on April 9th. And you know what? I wouldn't be surprised if someone reads the book and still finds errors. We're only human.
Barb:)
Never had to deal with anything like this before. When I sold to Harshell Word Factory and Melange the print copy released the same time as the electronic so whatever changes I made before publication went into both versions. Phaze releases the electronic version and based on sales they might release the print version. Dominated by Desire had been out a little over a year when I learned it would be released in print.
First I did the happy dance. Then I noticed that the release date came and went. Hmmm. I saw a memo that said something about galleys, but didn't give it a thought. Never dealt with those before. Those galleys showed up in my e-mail box for me to go through and proof.
You know what it taught me? You can always catch something you missed in the edits you did before. I was grateful there weren't too many but I found misspelled words, missing commas, things like that. And my editor and I went through that book with a fine tooth comb. How did those little buggers get through?
It's the author's dilemma.
As the writer you don't always notice the misspelled word, or even the wrong spelling but the right word, whether or not you have commas in the right place or overused words. After awhile you see what you think is on the page, not what is really there. That is why having a set of new eyes is important. Your editor or critique partner don't know the story as well as you do and will help you catch things you missed. Understand though that they aren't perfect.
Happy to say that the galleys are done And Dominated by Desire will be out on April 9th. And you know what? I wouldn't be surprised if someone reads the book and still finds errors. We're only human.
Barb:)
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