It is my least favorite moment of publishing. I hate it. I always feel like I'm not doing enough at this stage, although in all truth, no one wants you to be making any big changes at this point. There are rules. Percentages. Consequences. Still . . . to just go through and fix typos and continuity errors (and that is seriously all I do at this point) seems like not enough. I should be polishing and honing more.
I can't stand to even think about it at this point, though. At this point in the process, I have read the damn thing so many times I can not stand it anymore. The idea is stupid. The execution is clumsy. The dialogue is wooden and the setting is bland. There is no fixing it. It should simply be thrown out and forgotten about.
In all fairness, in a year (maybe less), I'll pick it up for some reason or another, flip it open and something in it will make me chuckle. Or get misty-eyed. Or pat myself on the back for some reason or another.
Not now, though. Right now I hate it. At least it's off my desk.
6 comments:
Eileen - totally there with you. At the galley stage all you see are the things you really want to change but can't because all you're supposed to do is fix typos.
I also hate the book at this stage. I'm SOOOO done with it.
But then I also hate the book in the middle, after the first re-read, then again during revisions when I'm not sure how I'm going to fix what the editor wants me to fix...
When do I like my work? I'm not really sure...
Congrats on getting it off. :)
Just remember that when you're reading for typos, everything's boring.
The first thing of mine I saw in print was that short story in the Mammoth anthology... and I read the first sentence and wanted to edit it. I've never made it all the way through reading the story and it's less than 8000 words. Want to change too many things. Too painful.
My sisters! At least I'm not alone.
Congrats! Eileen - I can't wait to read the new Messenger book - it's going to be great.
The turn around on books sometimes makes it hard to find a spot to love it. I love it before I write it and then maybe...a few years later. Writing, editing and polishing a book in six-nine months, makes it difficult to have any distance.
That is so true, Molly. You're immersed in it. You're stressed. You're pushing. Then it's gone.
Eileen, congrats. I cannot wait to read the second messengers book.
I'm with Molly. The only time I actually like a book is before I write it..
The during and after, not so much.
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