Last week, my wonderful editor Megan contaced me and told me my Copy Edits would be arriving. I’ve heard of copy edits before. I knew they were time sensitive and I’d seen many a postings about authors trembling or complaining when they got their edits.
The package arrived, basically a print out of my book. 400 pages of mistakes. They wrote in red pencil. I was supposed to either accept the changes, argue them, and fix the few things they wanted fixed. There aren’t any major changes with copy edits. Mostly grammar and the occasional, ‘can you add a line here that explains…” I had about ten days to go through them and mail them back.
It didn’t take long to go through. Honestly, editors amaze me. The fact that they can catch so many little things. Even plot things such as “You said this on page so and so, but you said this here, which doesn’t make sense.” It’s amazing what they catch.
It’s rather like working with a critique partner, but copy edits are all buisness. They mark away, doing their job. There’s no “Ha! what agreat line.” “Really well written sentence.” If you’re looking for somoene to pat you on the back, think again. Still, seeing all those marks has made me realize what I need to work on. Apparently I haven’t a clue where the hell a comma needs to go. Okay, I already knew that. And I don’t know when to use lay and lie. And there is that little problem i have with past and passed. I can just imagine the copy editor marking the millionth comma and shaking her weary head at my pathetic attempt at grammar.
Still, as I said, they weren’t nearly as bad as I’d been lead to believe. Next up are final edits. And no, I dont need you to point out all the grammar mistakes I just made in this blog. 🙂
