Skip to main content

KINDLE, editing OUT the mistakes...

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!

Comments

  1. 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...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Pah to the errors! They breed overnight.

    I 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.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The first (only) chapbook I had published has an error in it, a typo that shall live forever.

    I'm with you on more thorough editing! :-)

    Pearl

    ReplyDelete
  4. 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!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Good advice all. I'll let everyone know through my blog. I'm excited.
    Professional 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.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 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.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Take 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!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Good luck with your book..alas, I am Kindle deprived..sigh.

    ReplyDelete
  9. There are so many mistakes in my unedited books -- including the one that was published by Mt. St. Press. They did no editing!

    Bringing a book through to completion is plain hard work, no doubt about it.

    ReplyDelete
  10. 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.

    It's good to accept that we just keep learning, and learning, and learning, right??

    Best wishes for your next adventures!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. 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 ???

    ReplyDelete
  12. Finally 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.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Augh, 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!!!

    Good luck and keep it up. You are teaching all of us about the hardships of writing and of being published.

    Lana

    ReplyDelete
  14. 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!

    You 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!

    ReplyDelete
  15. 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.
    I 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.

    ReplyDelete
  16. 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!

    God bless ya and have a most productive week sweetie!!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I think no matter how many times we edit, more mistakes will be found:) Don't be so hard on yourself::)))

    ReplyDelete
  18. Beta 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 :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Other 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!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Good luck. Every reread is like cooking--the spices must be tweaked for the 'flavor of the day' it seems to me...

    Found 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.

    ReplyDelete
  21. 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

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ah, Spring and all her glory.

I'm enjoying the spring weather that has finally arrived in Ohio bringing blooming pear trees, red buds and tulip trees. How about you? Do you love spring as much as I do? I spent a day on the patio, putting out the table, chairs, umbrella. I painted a white wicker plant table and have decided it's too good for the patio. I plan to use it in the bathroom instead. Just when I thought winter would last forever, spring arrived with temperatures in the 70's. I noted buds covering my rose bush and a robin building a nest in the crevice of my chimney. I wanted to let them stay but they managed to leave so much debris at my front door that I had no choice but to shoo them away. Hopefully they've moved on to one of the many trees and bushes in my community, a more cozy place for raising babies. When I was a kid growing up in Putnam County, WV, I was outside at the first glimpse of the sun coming through my bedroom window. I ran through our yard, down through the orcha

The Dreaded School Pictures

This year when my children brought home their school pictures, I cringed.  These kids can leave home looking cherubic, but the minute they pose for that school photographer they are transposed into unrecognizable beings.  My middle daughter brought home pictures bearing her name and room number that couldn't have been my offspring. Nor a distant relative. I had worked for hours on this child. Her hair was parted in the middle and drawn into a cute little ponytail over each ear. Even though she is at an awkward age, she looked adorable when she went out that door. Her missing front teeth only added to her charm.  The kid in the picture has her mouth open wide displaying ugly dark gaps. Her one visible ponytail is lopsided, her part is uneven, and her bangs look like they were cut with pinking shears. I know this isn't my child because I always give my children a good haircut before they have their pictures taken. The only thing vaguely familiar is the sweater t

MY HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE...

Wednesday, March 16, 2011 High School - Poca High School, Putnam County, WV What year was it? Fall 1960 - Spring 1963 What were your favorite bands, or singers? Sam Cook, Chubby Checker, Conway Twitty (It's only make believe), Johnny Rodriquez. Meatloaf. ELvis. What was your favorite outfit? Straight skirts, blouses, cardigans or jackets, little heels. Other Outfits? Jeans and a white Dr. Ben Casey shirt. What was up with your hair? Everything. I put peroxide on it. Lemon juice, thinking it needed to be lighter. I cut it, styled it, put it in a pony tail or a french twist. Hair was the most important thing in my life in high school. And hair spray, the stiffer the better. Who were your best friends? Patti Jones, Karen Mattox, and Susie Bailey all thru elem school. Then added on Donna Dailey, Sharon "Mouse" Hackett and Janice Wick and many others. Also Bonnie Kerwood who was older than me and lived near me so we hung out listening to records after schoo