Pop the cork out of the Prosecco !!!!
I have totally, completely, absolutely finished the book. OMG, is that a miracle, or what?
After an agonizing 5 days of correcting the effing mistakes, thanks to my writing program (see previous ranting post), and discovering halfway through the editing ordeal that Spell Check had decided--without my knowledge or consent--to change all my its to it's (oh, the humanity), I fixed the last error at midnight on Monday.
The whole book writing process took me 5-1/2 months (though not working every day, and not full days when I did work), and ended up at 479 pages, with 163,675 words. I'm not sure how the word count grew because I had it down to 159K at one point, but once I formatted the book to fit the paperback 5" x 8" configuration, changed the margins, etc., the page number and word count mysteriously changed. I understand the page number part, but the words..?? Clueless. Maybe when I get the book back I'll find some glaring blunder like duplicated chapters or something. I'm sure Works has a last "bend over" waiting for me. I don't even care anymore. IT'S DONE..!!!
So, this morning I downloaded the pdf files for the interior (the text), and the book cover. I cut/pasted the cover from my CreateSpace page, but unfortunately the graphic is only about a 1/4"...hence the blurry book flat above. Nuts. I was hoping the back cover text could be read, but unless you have non-human sight, it's not readable. Still, it looks really cool, if I do say so myself. And yes, that's my design (from a CreateSpace template). The shield on the cover is exactly what the book is about and I couldn't be happier. Maybe I should give up writing and just make book covers..!!
One last exhilarating thing, (besides finishing the book), and one of the greatest things imaginable for me--as a reader, writer, ex-editor and assistant bookstore manager--is getting my very own official ISBN number. It makes my book real, and amazing. And mine. Sigh. Happy Birthday Book...!!!
2 comments:
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
See, that wasn't so hard now was it, seriously, what an outstanding accomplishment, and you should be so proud of yourself! I'm sorry I can't see or read the text, but I'm sure I will be able to read it shortly, right? Call soon, and again KUDOS to you!
Love, Gail
I've been lurking here now for nearly a year watching and waiting how this would all turn out. I'm truely impressed that you've managed to hang in there through it all and get this done. What a huge understaking. Congratulations!
In my own previous, futile horrible attempts I've come to realize that I can leave the writing to others, but I will take advantage of their skills and read simply as much as I can. However, I have learned a number of helpful tips to make what writing I do do, as understandable as possible. They are:
# Avoid alliteration. Always.
# Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
# Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat.)
# Employ the vernacular.
# Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
# Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
# It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
# Contractions aren't necessary.
# Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
# One should never generalize.
# Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
# Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
# Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
# Profanity sucks.
# Be more or less specific.
# Understatement is always best.
# Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
# One-word sentences? Eliminate.
# Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
# The passive voice is to be avoided.
# Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
# Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
# Who needs rhetorical questions?
There. My two bits!
All my best to both you and Allan. And again, congratulations.
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