8/04/2010

Well, I'm glad that's over

Writing Final Days, that is. Or when I say it's over, what I mean is: I've finished it to the point where I'm thoroughly sick of it. So it's been emailed off to my agent and editor and at some point, assuming they're happy with what I've produced, I'll get it back, with editorial suggestions scrawled all over it, and I'll have to read the damn thing again. And then there'll be a typesetter's comments (not counting any 'first readers'), and then I'll have to read the damn thing again. Carefully. And then, if all is well, I'll get a copy of the page proofs to read, and, yes, I'll have to read the damn thing. Again. Very carefully. Searching for those niggling little errors.


And I'll still get email pointing out that somebody drives up in a balloon-wheeled truck on page XXX and departs on the following page in the same vehicle, which has miraculously swapped balloon wheels for tractor treads. There will always be mistakes (and please note, if you spot them, I am grateful to hear of them. If nothing else, it keeps me on my toes).

3 comments:

Orin Thomas said...

You know that things have progressed to an insane state when you have to start posting errata for works of fiction ;-)

Andrew said...

When do you think this book will be released?

I've been writing a report for the last 2 months and issued it today. Was thoroughly sick of it myself, so can understand how you feel.

Mine was on the subject of building subsidence so think yourself lucky!

Gary Gibson, science fiction writer said...

Hard to say Andrew, it's at the whim of the publishers. But next July or August seems like a reasonable bet.