This weekend, I’ll be enjoying a whole new part of the publishing process: copyedits.
Back in 2006, after I sold JADE TIGER, I paid a friend out of my advance to copyedit the manuscript. She caught a lot of great stuff, and I’ve never regretted having a cleaner manuscript go to press.
But wow, is this different.
My copyedits for ABOVE WORLD arrived earlier this week, and it was hours before I could even make myself open the package. I wasn’t afraid… well, not exactly. Maybe it was apprehension swirling around with excitement, mixed with my terrible head cold. (That’s a powerful combination — believe me!) And then there’s this thought: this is the last time I’ll get to make changes on the manuscript, except for small fixes.
Yikes!
So here I am, preparing to dive in and see all the different ways that three other people have tried to make my book better for readers. I’m sure I’ll be embarrassed about some of the mistakes they’ve caught. Hopefully I’ll learn a little about my foibles as a writer, just in time to rewrite book 2. Mostly, I’m just hoping I can answer all their questions.
If you’ve got advice for dealing with copyedits, bring it.
Fun fact: Other than an early copy of ABOVE WORLD that I received from a critiquer in 2008, this is the first time I’ve even seen the entire book printed out.
Good luck with it!!!!!
Wow, SO exciting!!!! Though I hear ya, I get scared about the concept of not being able to make any changes after copy-edits, like, it better be GOOD, there's no going back!! Not to add to your stress or anything ;) I'm still in second round edits stage, but I look forward to being where you are. Congrats again, and happy copy-editing this weekend!!!
I'm sure you'll enjoy it, get freaked out, and enjoy it some more. If you get overwhelmed, back away from the manuscript and have a cup of tea.
I can't wait to read it…can't wait until it's out!
Would it help to remind yourself that no matter HOW many chances you got to make changes, you'd still find stuff you wanted to change?
Yeah. Didn't think so.
Would it help to remind you that many, many people love your work exactly as it is and that, only by releasing these copyedits back to your publisher can this book get in front of many, many more who NEED to be transported by its coolness? That's right–you owe it to the world to set limits on your perfectionism and GIVE this book to your readers.
So there.
Now go get 'em, Tiger.
What Sally said!!!