Jeez! When I sent my manuscript to the production company, I thought I'd ferreted out ALL the mistakes. NOT SO.
When I received the Kindle copy, and started line editing, I found mistake after mistake. Costly mistakes now that I'm paying for each mistake after
five - the first five mistakes being free with the cost of the production.
I've learned so much during this edit. First, I've learned how to line edit more carefully. I've learned not to be in such a hurry to publish that I don't take time to delete all the bloopers.
I'm learning NOT to use so many BUTS AND ANDS to begin sentences. I didn't realize I used them with abandon.
I'm learning to omit some of the colloquialisms.
I'm just learning learning learning. Darn. I thought I knew so much and now I'm learning after all these years that I don't know much about writing AT ALL.
Here's to a cleaner manuscript next time around.
Here's to bringing all I've learned to the table the next time around.
Here's to a brighter publishing future for all of us who write.
And a better reading future to those of us who read.
And to less mistakes on those books on Kindle.
I hate mistakes.
Blessings on your life today.
And please if you have anything to add about editing, please give me a comment.
Do you buy Amazon books for Kindle? Are you pleased with what you've bought?
Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!
When I received the Kindle copy, and started line editing, I found mistake after mistake. Costly mistakes now that I'm paying for each mistake after
five - the first five mistakes being free with the cost of the production.
I've learned so much during this edit. First, I've learned how to line edit more carefully. I've learned not to be in such a hurry to publish that I don't take time to delete all the bloopers.
I'm learning NOT to use so many BUTS AND ANDS to begin sentences. I didn't realize I used them with abandon.
I'm learning to omit some of the colloquialisms.
I'm just learning learning learning. Darn. I thought I knew so much and now I'm learning after all these years that I don't know much about writing AT ALL.
Here's to a cleaner manuscript next time around.
Here's to bringing all I've learned to the table the next time around.
Here's to a brighter publishing future for all of us who write.
And a better reading future to those of us who read.
And to less mistakes on those books on Kindle.
I hate mistakes.
Blessings on your life today.
And please if you have anything to add about editing, please give me a comment.
Do you buy Amazon books for Kindle? Are you pleased with what you've bought?
Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!
I got a Kindle for my birthday last June and I love it -- it makes it easier to travel with lots of reading and also to buy books when I'm in France -- I have the Kindle with both WiFi and 3G and it has been great. It's not suitable for all books -- anything with colour pictures would be a problem -- and if you need something for research it's not suitable for flipping back and forth. But for the kind of crime novels I like and most novels -- it is superb. I do find occasional printing errors -- words mysteriously divided in two, for example. I wonder if that is because the original copy used hyphenation at the end of sentences -- that kind of thing. But all in all I absolutely love it. Also I received for Christmas the Kindle cover with the light. The Kindle clips into it and the light powers itself through the Kindle. Brilliant! The only advice I have about editing is don't proofread your own work! And always have someone else read it for editing suggestions...
ReplyDeletePah to the errors! They breed overnight.
ReplyDeleteI got a Kindle for my birthday in Oct, it is full of different books and pdf files. Some were free and others I bought. I enjoy reading most of them, some are not a genre I would normally read. The odd typo does not bother me if the story is a good one.
The first (only) chapbook I had published has an error in it, a typo that shall live forever.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on more thorough editing! :-)
Pearl
I inherited my son's Kindle when he got an IPad last year. The kids and I bought my husband one for Chanukkah last year, also. He downloads more books than I, but I do enjoy having my own Kindle. We like a lot of the same books, so we can switch Kindles when necessary! As for editing, Barbara, I agree with "The Broad"...do not do your own editing...always have someone else do it for you! Looking forward to reading this book...let me know when it's ready to download! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGood advice all. I'll let everyone know through my blog. I'm excited.
ReplyDeleteProfessional editing is expensive and until I make some money on my book, I can't afford the steep fees.
However, I can say my honing skills are getting better as I go! Thanks for reading.
Back with more info soon.
Blessings.
Oh, bummer! For me, it seems editing has been an endless task. (I am NEVER satisfied!) It really stinks, though, to think that the editing may continue after you think you're done with it. Well, good luck with it. And yes, I got a Kindle for Christmas, and loaded it with a lot of books written mostly by Blogger pals. I've been very impressed with some, and not so much with others. Looking forward to adding your book to the others.
ReplyDeleteTake chapters at a time to your writing group and let them help with the editing. Other eyes always see mistakes that our own eyes do not see. Use 'find' under the edit button and search for all those ands, buts, thats, its and other overly used words we tend to leave in our manuscripts. I once read a self published book and found a simple mistake on the first page. I would be so stressed out if I self published and afraid to read it, worrying about all the mistakes I might have made. I have confidence in you, you will find your mistakes and the finished product will shine. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your book..alas, I am Kindle deprived..sigh.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many mistakes in my unedited books -- including the one that was published by Mt. St. Press. They did no editing!
ReplyDeleteBringing a book through to completion is plain hard work, no doubt about it.
Oh dear, I can imagine how frustrating the typos are to discover post publication! I am sure many are appreciating your learning process, and hopefully will remember your words when they are where you have been in publishing.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to accept that we just keep learning, and learning, and learning, right??
Best wishes for your next adventures!!
Typos don't bother me on my Kindle - which I love dearly. My son downloaded 976 books for me, but a lot are what he likes - science fiction. Still, there remains far more than I could read in my lifetime.(Panic!) (Pssst! - is it 'remain' or 'remains' in this context ???
ReplyDeleteFinally caught up with all your blogs. I'm glad you went back to Vada Faith for a title and the cover came out great! I have bought Kindle-only books and will buy more once I've read all the books I've already downloaded. Good luck with the rest of the process. And I'm glad you're keeping a journal. I may ask for help down the road.
ReplyDeleteAugh, I completely understand. Even on my little blog, I was in such a hurry to hit "publish" today that I didn't notice several mistakes. I HATE finding stupid mistakes in my writing, but they still end up in my face!!!
ReplyDeleteGood luck and keep it up. You are teaching all of us about the hardships of writing and of being published.
Lana
I think it's great that your book will be ready soon! It's not always fun learning, but a good thing to do, I don't have a Kindle yet, but I do have the app downloaded on my laptop. I have lots of Kindle books downloaded there and can't wait to read yours!
ReplyDeleteYou left a comment on my blog about the Ocean Spray fruit snacks. If you would like the coupons, just email me and let me know your address. Thanks!
Sorry that you had to pay for mistakes. Hve you tries using Lulu. I did, and I made a mistake of not using an ISBN and now I cannot sell the book. I just send free copies to people who want to read.
ReplyDeleteI dod not have a kindle. At my age I like to save what ever I can and therefore borrowing books from library is a good way.
I like it when my mistakes get corrected. This way I learn a lot.
It will delightful when you will actually see the book in hand.
Mama always told me that in life we'd have to pay for our mistakes but it looks like you literally ended up payin' for your mistakes. Oh, the great education of the great University of Life!
ReplyDeleteGod bless ya and have a most productive week sweetie!!!
I think no matter how many times we edit, more mistakes will be found:) Don't be so hard on yourself::)))
ReplyDeleteBeta readers and critique partners are great for spotting errors. I think once we've read our own work so many times we become blind. Fresh eyes help find what we can't see. I love my crit partners :)
ReplyDeleteOther eyes are the best thing for line editing. We see our work the way our minds believe it to be, not always the way it looks on the page. I think different formats reveal different things as well. You have a great attitude, are make great progress - that's so cool!
ReplyDeleteGood luck. Every reread is like cooking--the spices must be tweaked for the 'flavor of the day' it seems to me...
ReplyDeleteFound it is always best to give adequate time between editing sessions. I never do more than 90 minutes of editing at a stretch which is the length of maintaining intense concentration. Then I must take a break and do something completely different.
Just my style and what the efficiency stats say.
Ugh - my least favorite part of writing! Good luck to you as you tease out all of the nuances and make it as good as you want it to be. My girls love Kindle books (although I confess to reading on my iPad) and I love the fact that they can get them cheaper and not have to lug five books along on vacation.
ReplyDelete