A week ago today, I released Exiled into the world. As with all releases, there was the last minute rush. The editing deadlines and multitude of small tasks that have to get done. If you ever see your favorite author wandering around with a dazed expression and industrial-sized cup of coffee, then the odds are good they're working close to deadline.
Now, if you're an Indie author, your deadlines might be a bit different. In addition to editing, you also have to schedule in time for formatting and work with your formatter's schedule. Each retailer also has different requirements for when you have to upload the final manuscript. For print, you have to allow time for Createspace and/or Ingram to review your files. Then you have to order and wait for proofs. And through it all, there's the taunting fear that you've missed something.
Yeah, about that.
It was Tuesday evening, and one of my amazing readers, Roxana, messaged me to say that she enjoyed the story but there was just one line... Sick with dread, I pulled up my file. And there it was:
How could I have missed this?? I rushed to Vellum to correct my e-books and loaded the new files at once. I contacted my patient formatter, Gaynor. I stressed about it to my critique partners and editor.
A bit more drama than a perfectionist likes on book release day for sure.
But of course, this kind of stuff is inevitable. If you ever wonder about the random odd word left in just about every published book, I can tell you the cause: editing remnants. See, most editors use Track Changes in Microsoft Word to make suggestions within the text. Here's what that quiet little section looked like when I got it back from my editor:
The blue part was my editor's suggestion. Jody wanted more baby details, OBVIOUSLY. :) And I added said details. But instead of hitting the Reject Changes button to erase her comment, I must have hit Accept. That's it. Other mistakes might happen when we move clauses around or decide to go with a different verb. They say it's tough to see the forest for the trees--but sometimes it's also difficult to see the trees for the forest.
As far as I know, no one managed to order a print copy with the mistake. But Amazon doesn't push an update for such a small change, so some of you might still have the e-book with this fun little goof. I hope you'll forgive the mistake of one tired author.
Me? I've learned to laugh about it. It's just one of life's reminders that we can't control everything perfectly.
And Roxana? Thank you! :)