First Proof Pass - OH NO!

Star · Mar 6, 2008

First of all, I now understand why books have mistakes. Even if your ms. is fine, the typesetter can miss words or the copy editor can misread your corrections. Egads.

Now for my question. I'm at the first proof stage. I just noticed a logistical error. To correct it would require me adding a whole sentence. Is this a no-go? Too late?

JamieFord · Mar 6, 2008

It's not too late. You should be able to change it, though depending on your contract you might be hit with a fee for the change.

Star · Mar 6, 2008

Thanks Jamie!

What if it's their fault in most cases? Changing my "she" to "his" - It's incredible! I'm with a large publisher, and I'm surprised at the mistakes. Yikes. Thank goodness I followed my gut. I was going to concentrate ONLY on the corrections I made, and skim through the rest. I didn't expect to find additional mistakes that weren't present in my original ms. Wow

IceCreamEmpress · Mar 6, 2008

You don't get charged for correcting their errors, only for your additions and changes. In my experience, if you add a sentence or two, it's unlikely you'd get charged--it's when you do something like add a chapter (which I've seen from the publisher's side) or change the name of a character (I haven't seen that, but it was a war story from one place I worked) that they charge.

And, yeah, they always make errors no matter what.

Star · Mar 6, 2008

Isn't that something? I wonder how/why that happens. You give them clean copy, and they jack it up? hmm

TheWritingGuy · Mar 7, 2008

Do all authors have to go through their book to correct their publisher's mistakes?

Star · Mar 7, 2008

Writer Guy,

Apparently so! Now I see why there are tons of mistakes in mainstream work. The author ASSUMES that the publisher will take care of their own mistakes. I just don't understand how a typesetter can change "she" to "his"?????

Carrie R. · Mar 7, 2008

After they typset it the author, the copy-editor, and the editor all go back through it again to make sure there are no more mistakes. I'm on the copy-edit stage and I'm already worried that some of my changes won't get made. I think I'm going to have to photocopy the pages before sending them back so that I can compare to the first pass pages -- I"m not sure I'd catch some mistakes otherwise

ishtar'sgate · Mar 7, 2008

Star said:
First of all, I now understand why books have mistakes. Even if your ms. is fine, the typesetter can miss words or the copy editor can misread your corrections. Egads.

Now for my question. I'm at the first proof stage. I just noticed a logistical error. To correct it would require me adding a whole sentence. Is this a no-go? Too late?

I don't think so. Even after I got the galleys I was allowed to make a limited number of changes. I was told I'd be charged for any changes over that number but I didn't require any more by then.
Linnea

Susan B · Mar 7, 2008

This is helpful to read, though my heart sinks a little.

I'm due to get the copyedits for my first book (slated for Dec. publication) back in 2 weeks. Hoping it will be fairly straightforward, since the book has already been through various levels of editing with the publisher.

But I sense the fun is just beginning :-(

Star · Mar 7, 2008

Carrie, you MUST MUST photocopy your pages! I couldn't believe the things that weren't caught, or fuddled up. And I would've never known had I not kept my own copy of changes.

p.s. If you have time, you should write a running list of changes so that you can skim through safely once the main issues are caught. For example: page 20 - change "she" to "his" - etc. This way, if you're under deadline pressure you can just go directly to each correction and be sure that it's been handled.

bethany · Mar 7, 2008

Carrie, I actually found Delacorte to be very meticulous. How has your experience been? I was pretty impressed with everything they found (although I felt dumb a few times).

Oh, and in many cases the ARCS come from the first pass. So be prepared to cringe a little

Susan B · Mar 8, 2008

Question

Star said:
Carrie, you MUST MUST photocopy your pages! I couldn't believe the things that weren't caught, or fuddled up. And I would've never known had I not kept my own copy of changes.

p.s. If you have time, you should write a running list of changes so that you can skim through safely once the main issues are caught. For example: page 20 - change "she" to "his" - etc. This way, if you're under deadline pressure you can just go directly to each correction and be sure that it's been handled.

This is really helpful! Not sure I would have thought to do both these obviously important safeguards.

I just got a lovely message from my copyeditor (posted about this elsewhere) saying she finished up faster than expected because she enjoyed the book so much she couldn't put it down! So she'll be mailing the edited ms. on Monday. (I know she is sending a hard copy, but she referred to printing the "track changes." Wonder if I also get an electronic file?)

So, my question is: How does it work from this point on? Sounds like the author gets a hard copy with edits, hand writes comments/corrections, then mails back the hard copy.

I'd really prefer this to anything involving word processing/e-mails.

Susan

Chumplet · Mar 8, 2008

This thread is fascinating. My only experience with publishing was at the POD level. We exchanged digital documents rather than hard copies, so I imagine the formatter simply copied and pasted from my .rtf document rather than having a typesetter keystroke everything in.

Another writer from the same publisher experienced massive changes she had never authorized in the galleys.

kimmer · Mar 8, 2008

I made a photocopy of all editing changes my publisher sent me, at every stage. I am one week from galleys and I have these earlier copies for my reference. I can't imagine how else I would catch things. I feel that the editor and I have a nearly equal responsibility to catch things. Me = 51%, they = 49%. In the end, it's my name as the author and it will reflect upon me. I pray for no typos. I am petrified to annoy my readers, as I have been annoyed, by missed mistakes.

Carrie R. · Mar 10, 2008

Bethany -- you're totally right, Delacorte has been amazing. Each of my copy-editors found such minute details that I was flabbergasted! I think I'm just afraid of my stets or corrections not making sense!

Susan -- for me I got back the manuscript the copy-editors had been through (hard copy). I had two copy-editors plus my own editor had gone through and stetted some stuff before it got to me. I had about two weeks to go through (in a different colored pencil) and accept or reject all the changes. Then you send it back! I've heard of some houses that copy-edit in word using track changes but I don't know which ones!

Susan B · Mar 10, 2008

Carrie R. said:
Susan -- for me I got back the manuscript the copy-editors had been through (hard copy). I had two copy-editors plus my own editor had gone through and stetted some stuff before it got to me. I had about two weeks to go through (in a different colored pencil) and accept or reject all the changes. Then you send it back! I've heard of some houses that copy-edit in word using track changes but I don't know which ones!

Thanks, Carrie! Heard back from the copyeditor, so now understand what she'll be sending. It is a hard copy, where she used "track changes" to indicate suggested omissions with a strike through and suggested additions in red text. She found the manuscript in good shape, said there wasn't a lot of editing. Mostly suggestions having to do with my possible over-use of sentence fragments. I'm apparently free to accept or reject the changes. I think it comes directly to me, though. Don't think my editor sees it first.

Susan

Sonneillon · Mar 10, 2008

Susan B said:
This is really helpful! Not sure I would have thought to do both these obviously important safeguards.

I just got a lovely message from my copyeditor (posted about this elsewhere) saying she finished up faster than expected because she enjoyed the book so much she couldn't put it down! So she'll be mailing the edited ms. on Monday. (I know she is sending a hard copy, but she referred to printing the "track changes." Wonder if I also get an electronic file?)

Wow, that's a high compliment, Susan! Congratulations! I've known a few people who were copy-editors, mostly for medical texts, and they've told me that they LIVE for those rare pieces that truly grab their interest and make their jobs seem like not-so-much work.

Star · Mar 10, 2008

Gee Susan,

Thanks for bringing me down a notch. I felt bad that my copy editor left no kind words about my ms., and was told either here, or somewhere else, that CEs do no such thing. They're strictly bizness. Alas.

(I'm halfway kidding. Not trying to make you feel bad about turning in stellar work.)

Susan B · Mar 10, 2008

Star said:
Gee Susan,

Thanks for bringing me down a notch. I felt bad that my copy editor left no kind words about my ms., and was told either here, or somewhere else, that CEs do no such thing. They're strictly bizness. Alas.

(I'm halfway kidding. Not trying to make you feel bad about turning in stellar work.)

Well, gosh, it is certainly not stellar! But I put lot of work into polishing the ms. before (and after) submitting. I've benefited from the collective wisdom of various critique groups and a wonderful writing mentor.

I have found everyone I've been in contact with at my publisher, University Press of Mississippi, to be exceptionally warm and easy to deal with. Even the people who have read with a critical eye and offered pointed suggestions (the two "outside reviewers" and now the copyeditor) have managed to come across as sharp-eyed advocates.

I wonder if it is a southern quality

Star · Mar 11, 2008

Hey Susan,

My kudos remains the same!

By the way, since my copyeditor left no kind words, I hope she's not pissed that I included her in my acknowledgements...what if she doesn't want to be associated with my work? Or do I need to take a deep cleansing breath? lol

First Proof Pass - OH NO!

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