Aargh! This post is awfully late and I apologize. My copy edits for one of my September books arrived yesterday. And are due back Friday. Including travel time. Eek! So I'm taking a quick break to blog as my edits are the top of my "to be read" pile right now.
These are my second set of copy edits for a print book, and I am trying to devise "the system" for doing them. So far I've discovered I really didn't keep good enough notes while I write the book in the first place. Some of those nit-picky points about world-building--well, they're in my head, and in the manuscript (somewhere) but are they in a nice, orderly place I can find them? No.
Last month I blogged a bit about devising a system to create a book--a big work in progress for me. I'm not good with systems. Stephanie's post about tax time made me smile--I wish I had my receipts in a box. Mine are scattered on the floor of the spare bedroom. They were "neatly organized" before I stepped on a pile and went skidding across the floor. Next year I might move up to the box!
As for the copy edits, I am trying to be systematic. I make my change on a post-it. Think about it. Then change on computer. Then print that out. Think about it more. Then finally, when I get the courage, I pick up the eraser or the red pencil and actually commit to the change. I still find it scary to think this big, momentous 'last chance to change' has to happen so fast. On the other hand, it cuts down on the navel-gazing.
Well, back to edits. And if anyone has some great tips, I love to hear them!
2 comments:
A tip that doesn't have to do with copious amounts of chocolate and/or alcohol?
Nope. Sorry. :)
Seriously, while you won't be able to make big plot changes, it might help to keep in mind that you can still correct mistakes at the page proof or galley stage.
Tues to Friday is a quick turnaround. Are they letting you call in, email, or fax the changes, or do you have to Fedex? Because that only -- as you already figured out for your own self -- gives you from Tuesday to Thursday.
Good luck! Oh, and you might try some hot steamy sex, too. But AFTER you get them sent back. As a celebration. LOL
Oh, I did just think of one thing. Since I always lose notes, I make copies of the c.e. after I've made my corrections (or at least the pages I care most about) so I can check at page proof time and make sure they got corrected. I could do the same thing by keeping notes on the computer, but I never seem to get around to doing that. And probably never will.
JoAnn,
Thanks for the tips! I scanned my first set of c.e.'s (with the final edits) and just received page proofs today, so I'll find out how scanning works. And having that last chance to catch typos is letting me relax a bit.
This is an erotic romance, so steamy sex as a reward sounds just right.
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