It's April 3, 2013 and I've FINALLY submitted my manuscript to the publisher for design! Actually, I first submitted it back in November, 2012 and then again two weeks ago but both times called it back for MORE editing! I fear I'm falling into "paralysis of analysis." It happens quite often with me. I do tend to overthink things . . .
I admit I'm a little paranoid about releasing the finished product only to open it to page 28, or 76 or 313 and find a typo! I WILL JUST DIE!!
I've had it edited by a pro, edited by a college student studying to become a pro, I've read it myself six times and have had four family members and two friends read it for me too.
You would think I would be satisfied that the finished product is devoid of punctuation, grammatical and/or typographical errors . . . but I'm not. One slight slip of the finger on the keyboard can go undetected until a reader who just paid for a copy sits down to enjoy a few chapters with a glass of wine. Oops . . . sorry.
I know the story so well - duh . . . I wrote it - and that's what makes it so difficult for me to find my own errors, unless it's really blatant. But I've found a few places where an extra word is hidden in plain sight, another word is missing and no where to be found, and yet another time I might find the right word in the wrong spot! What's a writer to do?!
I tried purchasing an on-line editing program to help me as well but all that did was send me into a tailspin!
I was so excited to try the "easy to use" software where all you do is cut-n-paste an excerpt (up to 100,000 words at one time!) into their program and in just a few quick seconds - VIOLA! - you have an editing report showing you everything you never wanted to know about what is wrong with your manuscript!
There were underlined words, words in red, words in green, words in blue, words in BOLD, words in italics, underlined words in red, green or blue, words in BOLD that were italicized, entire paragraphs highlighted in color, or underlined, or in BOLD, and on-and-on-and-on.
There was NO WAY I was ever going to get through all the suggestions! I asked for a refund on my purchase just two hours after I paid for it.
A friend once told me sometimes we have to believe "enough is good enough." And I think I finally get that. I've done the very best job I can to produce the very best manuscript that I can and now I pray that my readers will think so too.
I hope you will one day enjoy reading my story - CAT HOUSE - over a glass of wine and if you find an error, you'll smile and say . . . I know she gave it her best :)
