I look around my house and sigh, “Wat een Rommel.” (The Dutch expression for “What a mess”) The last several days of my hubby’s “paint the house project” culminates in piles of disorganized stuff. To say that I’m overwhelmed is an understatement. Only three more days until I have to go back to work and my classroom is not finished. Worrisome thoughts unsettle me.
Yet in the midst of these musings, I decide to post an update about the book. Probably borderline insane, but my excitement and sense of accomplishment rise above the covered mountains of furniture that surround me.
These last few days provided the seclusion I needed so I could press through page after page of the printed full interior proof. I felt like a little squirrel hold up in her hole groping for nuts in the dark. I hid in my room pouring over pages while the painters worked their wonder.
What amazes me the most is how mistakes still hide like naughty children inside store clothing racks. Some mothers know what I mean. Once my three-year-old son, Josiah, disappeared in a store and I went screaming throughout the isles only to return to where I last saw him and hear this little voice whisper, “Don’t find me Mommy!”
That’s the way these manuscript errors hide. See those sticky notes, those indicate the naughty little mistakes I found. The other side I didn’t photograph has more sticky notes.
But alias, I sent in the form Createspace provides for changes and now await the actual book proof. I’ve also heard from other self-published authors that readers will still find errors even after the final book is published. I get this because I often find errors in books that went through the intensive editing process used in publishing houses. Does this make me nervous? Heck yes it does. More than anything this knowledge humbles me. My book will be far from perfect. Yet, I will love her just the same.
What’s next? I now set up my Createspace bookstore and online profile. I study marketing strategies and prepare for the press release distribution to over 1,000 media contacts Createspace will identify as a good fit for my book. The thought terrifies me so I shove it back down into one of the messy boxes I need to unpack when I’m up for the challenge.
It’s all coming together! I understand you being nervous, but don’t forget to enjoy the experience too.
I signed up for a Creatspace account thinking I was only a few weeks from having the manuscript ready, and over the next month had to tell two different people from the company that I needed to make major changes, and it would probably be several weeks more. There’s always something!
Mark, I know just how you feel. I signed up 15 months before I actually uploaded the manuscript thinking I was ready. Wow…what a long ride. What’s your book about?
Proud Proud Proud of you my dearest friend! You go girl! B
Your house looks lovely, even partially dismantled.
You are making such good progress on your book. Can you believe it is really going to happen?
I know about the errors. I have proofread my manuscript forwards and backwards and cringe at the mistakes I still find. At some point we just have to suck it up and move forward.
No. We’re not perfect. But that doesn’t mean we cant’t be good.
Christine, I like the way you think, “No. We’re not perfect. But that doesn’t mean we cant’t be good.” I can’t believe it’s really going to happen, and when I think about it really happening, I get scared. I’m such a coward at heart, so I feast off kind, encouraging comments like yours
!
I’ll post some pics of the house when we’re finished putting it back together.
Congratulations on moving forward with your book! That’s so exciting!
Jodi Chapman – Soul Speak recently posted..Saturday Selection – An Interview with Andreea Ayers
Thank you so much Jodi! It sure helps to have the support of other writers.