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Does it ever end?

Here's a brief rundown of my thoughts when I started reading my proof copy of Game On.

YAY! This first chapter rocks!
Haha, I love it when I make myself laugh!
Oh ... there's an extra space between those two words, but nobody will notice, it's not worth editing the whole file just for that.
Hmm, I think there could be more in this part, it's a bit lacking in feeling.
CRAP THERE IS A GIGANTIC ERROR! 
This book sucks, and I've already sent it out to a bunch of people - I am so screwed.

Trust me, I have proofread this book until my eyes bled, and it's still not right. I know, I know, striving for absolute perfection is probably a waste of time because you can't please everyone. I just thought that I would be pleased by now. *sigh* It's really not a disaster. It's just ... if I can fix those little things now, before the book goes on sale, I will be much happier.

To the fab people who have advanced copies, I hope you can see past the errors, the will be sorted by the time my release date arrives.

I feel like a drama queen LOL, but it's one of those moments when I needed to get the words out before my head exploded!

That's all! Have a wonderful weekend, guys!
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Comments

  1. Clare13 July 2012 at 12:58

    Honey, every book I've ever read, from J.K Rowling to George RR Martin has mistake and tiny errors. No one, not even the best editor in the world, is perfect. There are going to be mistakes.

    What is important is the story is fantastic, the writing is strong, the characters believable and relocatable, the emotions true to life.

    This book is going to be a success, so you should stop worrying about tiny mistakes everyone makes, and most people will overlook.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:28

      Thanks, honey! I think I'm pretty much done torturing myself now, and maybe I will just never read it again to make sure I don't spend forever thinking, "But, if I just changed this bit ..." :D

      Delete
  2. L. Diane Wolfe13 July 2012 at 13:01

    It's all right for the review copies to have errors. Don't panic. Just fix what you can find before the final print.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:29

      Thanks, I think I have got everything now!

      Delete
  3. Alex J. Cavanaugh13 July 2012 at 13:12

    That's why I've never read either of my books after they were published. If errors are present, I don't want to know.

    ReplyDelete
  4. jaybird13 July 2012 at 13:33

    Aw, Kyra, I too, tend to be my harshest critic. Why do we do that to ourselves? But I have to agree with Clare here, I've seen typos in print, no one is perfect, and everyone who's read your A-Z entries, already loves your characters, so take it easy! It will all work out. xo

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    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:30

      Thanks! I am so good at driving myself insane with worry, it's probably time to stop now!

      Delete
  5. Jennifer Joyce13 July 2012 at 13:53

    There are mistakes in most books, from little typos to characters changing their names.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:30

      Yeah, I know. I am just being too perfectionist-y lol!

      Delete
  6. Rachel Schieffelbein13 July 2012 at 13:56

    Oh you poor thing. I can't imagine how stressful this must be! Just remember how awesome it's going to be when it's all done!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous13 July 2012 at 13:59

    I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks this when I'm editing haha!

    As others have said, no book is perfect, nothing is perfect. Make it as perfect as you can, but don't stress about it. I'm sure it is fabulous, and I will love it when I read it :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Suzi13 July 2012 at 14:19

    I have nothing new to add. Everybody is right. Even the biggest writers have mistakes. That's what the advanced copy is for, to find them little things.

    And even if a few minor things make it through, it won't take away from the overall book.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dianne K. Salerni13 July 2012 at 14:41

    Kyra, there are always going to be errors, even in the final published copy. My first book came out in 2010, and I was never able to read to the end of it. I kept seeing things I wanted to change ...

    And in one case, the proof-readers asked me to rephrase a sentence for clarity, then they forgot to remove the original sentence. So there's these two sentences side by side that say exactly the same thing -- and that wasn't my fault. I'm convinced it must stand out like a sore thumb to everyone who reads the book.

    But it probably doesn't. Only the author sees these errors as glaring ... hopefully.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:39

      Oh no, that would stress me out to no end! I think you're right though, for the most part, it is only the author that sees a tiny mistake as a disaster!

      Delete
  10. Cassie Mae13 July 2012 at 14:53

    Lol, I love this. I think we all feel that way about our own stuff. If I ever see mine in print form I know I'll own it, but I won't really read it cuz I'll be tempted with a red pen, lol!

    No worries! Every book has errors in it :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:40

      I am definitely going to stop re-reading my stuff too many times from now on!

      Delete
  11. Johanna Garth13 July 2012 at 16:01

    Yes, every book has errors and after writing and sweating over our books, it's so painful to go back and read the finished product. I'm sure it's great but I feel your pain!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sarah Ahiers13 July 2012 at 16:15

    Oh man, are you me? This is my problem currently. I kinda like my first chapter. Sent it out to some peeps. Then realized, blegh, it could be so much better!
    Commence anxiety and unease. Sigh

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:41

      It's so good to know I'm not in this alone!

      Delete
  13. Nick Wilford13 July 2012 at 16:37

    It's a rare book that doesn't have a mistake in it somewhere, even from the big publishers. What counts is that the story is there and that it's great - that's what people will take away from it. And like I said in my last comment, I didn't notice anything that was glaring. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Deana13 July 2012 at 16:47

    This must just be the way a writer's brain works because I have the exact same internal dialogue when I go through my stuff. I'm sure it is awesome!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hope Roberson13 July 2012 at 17:04

    This is going to sound a little crazy, but as a reader, when I find a typo in someone's book, I think "A ha! I spot you mistake!" and I fix it in my head. Now, as a writer, when I see those, I think "Ooooh, I bet that author was pissed to see that in there!" :) But what can you do? It's better than when I read a book and fix sentence wording in my head or tell the author they should have used "sending" instead of "that send" or something like that :)

    How cool is it to hold your book in your hands? I can't wait for this!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:47

      Funny, my brain works the same way when I'm reading!

      It's so exciting, I can't wait to get it out there now!

      Delete
  16. Dani13 July 2012 at 18:45

    I have no doubt they will be overlooked. You are a fab writer and I'm so excited to eventually get my hands on it!!
    You is kind… You is smart… You is important!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Bailey M.K. Knight13 July 2012 at 19:05

    I believe this is precisely the reason ARCs have that little disclaimer on them: "This is an uncorrected proof copy."

    Advanced copies have mistakes. And sometimes, they also just have things that change. For example, the ARC of Richelle Mead's BLOODLINES changes a character detail about Sydney Sage, the narrator. Which means every mention of said detail (and it's mentioned frequently enough) had to be changed on another round of edits post advanced copy! That copy also had a couple of mistakes, too. From proofreading errors to time line errors.

    So don't sweat it that your advanced copies are in the hands of readers -- readers are quite nice, and especially so of the ones who get early copies. Don't be afraid to do one more round of edits on it, and then let it go. All novels are only ever complete because they have a hard publication date and must be released into the wild. Otherwise, every author everywhere would keep editing and fixing and writing and changing.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:49

      Oh God, I would be a complete mess if I had to make changes that big at the last minute!

      I definitely agree. Giving myself a publication date was the only way to make sure I put the damn thing down lol!

      Delete
  18. Christine Rains13 July 2012 at 19:27

    We all do that. Just the normal writer way. If you can consider us writers normal! ;) You worked your butt off on that book. It's going to be great.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Morgan13 July 2012 at 20:48

    You rock, Kyra! And I'm sooooooo stoked for you :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Donna Smith13 July 2012 at 20:49

    Beautiful! Your own book. I'll bet it smells great! That was always the first thing I noticed about a new book...right up until iBooks and Kindle...sigh! They need a new book smell app!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:50

      LOL, a new book smell app would be the best thing ever!

      Delete
  21. Tara Tyler14 July 2012 at 01:52

    this is my biggest self pub fear! keep at it girl! we have faith in you!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Carrie Butler14 July 2012 at 02:40

    Books are written and edited by humans. They're bound to have errors. It's okay. :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Jeff Hargett14 July 2012 at 03:22

    Kyra, you're such an artist! I doubt there's a writer alive who could read their own book and not cringe at *something* in it. I'm happy when I get through an entire page of mine without cringing, but immediately begin wondering what I overlooked. LOL

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:51

      LOL, same for me too! Why do we torture ourselves this way?!

      Delete
  24. Writer Pat Newcombe14 July 2012 at 14:59

    Oh yes.... I know how you feel. What's worse is reading the complete book after it's published and discovering those mistakes then!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. DL Hammons15 July 2012 at 15:12

    When did striving for perfection become a bad thing?? Do what needs to be done, for you, because you'll be happier in the long run.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:54

      LOL, it's not a bad thing, except that it starts to drive me a little crazy! :D

      Delete
  26. Leslie S. Rose15 July 2012 at 18:08

    In my lighting designer days I never hit an opening night without still having a list of tweaks and notes I wanted to finesse. That quest for perfection can be maddening.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:55

      So true! I guess I can cut myself a little slack, but I really want everything to be absolutely right!

      Delete
  27. Annalisa Crawford15 July 2012 at 18:31

    Strive to make it the best you possibly can, but don't fret about any mistakes/problems you see after publication - all books have an error or two in them. I know the feeling of editing so much that you can no longer see those little things, though. Your poor eyes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kyra Lennon16 July 2012 at 09:56

      Seriously, my eyes now hate this book because of the amount of time they spent looking at it LOL! My brain still loves it, though! :D

      Delete
  28. Jolene Perry16 July 2012 at 01:38

    I feel your pain.
    SO. SO. SO hard.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Samantha May16 July 2012 at 06:49

    Oh goodness how stressful! Take a deep breath, and remember that perfection is no fun for anyone :)

    ReplyDelete

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