Comments on: Clean Up, Aisle Three!

By: 2nd Chance

2nd Chance — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:16:08 +0000

Hey, crew… Melissa has a link ta ‘r’ blog on her blog!

I gots ta get a blog up so I can link me blog ta this blog and vice versa…

A blog-tree!

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:06:42 +0000

Now the child is about to get off the bus so I’ll leave you all in peace for a while.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:05:45 +0000

I tried that. Even reading backwards. Didn’t get the hang of it.

Actually, this was a very important part of the revision process, the LAST step to assure me the bugger was as polished as I could make it. I did write a blog on it back in July. I’ve kind of repeated from it here, but here it is if interested:

http://everythingofinteresttoaromancewriter.blogspot.com/2009/07/proofreading-and-importance-of-fresh.html

By: 2nd Chance

2nd Chance — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:59:15 +0000

I don’t know, little things like that are better caught by eyes other than ours. They pay people to proof. And yup, they miss things!

But if yer self-publishing, that won’t work. I hear readin’ yer stuff aloud would catch those things.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:47:39 +0000

And lots of errors in that post! LOL

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:45:46 +0000

Finished but not perfect is a good distinction. The last revision is more for proofreading and then you need fresh eyes. Actually, several non-writer friends (chosen carefully – and NOT family) came in handy for the very last revision. I had one friend very meticulously write little things like PG 136, Took the fight out “of” Ashby, 1/2 way down page.” This meant, my reader had spotted that missing word “of” in this sentence. Proofreading things, but important! No way were my eyes going to spot those things anymore. I self published, but it still wouldn’t be right to leave it to apublishing house would catch those things.

By: 2nd Chance

2nd Chance — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:40:55 +0000

Mixed Metaphor girl, that be me!

By: 2nd Chance

2nd Chance — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:40:34 +0000

Aye, Melissa, Janga had a good point. Know yerself well enough that ya know when ta step away. Ya say finished not perfect.

If ya polish ta perfection, ya might go write through the shine ta the base metal and blech…

Polish ta a shine, then step away from the glitter!

I figure that be what editors are fer. Ta point out the small bits that still need work afore we rewrite ourselves ta tatters.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:32:00 +0000

My problem is forcing myself to end revisions.

Janga, this is one of my problems too. What I hate most about when I do this “one revision too many” is that I’ll not only make it worse, but put in a new mistake, like maybe even a typo or repeated word. Or I’ve moved something that causes more problems. And it’s likely that I already had this part critiqued and since I don’t feel I can put it in front of someone else AGAIN, it’s now up to me to SEE the mistake.

Hmm, I just might beg some pirates for the favor of reading the very last revision of my next finished ms. Don’t worry, it will be a while. LOL

By: 2nd Chance

2nd Chance — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:25:46 +0000

note to self…google sambooka.

Sounds like a dance they’d do on Dancing With the Stars!

And here is Kelly Osborne, dancing the Sambooka!