Never-Ending Syndrome Edition Part Two: Publishing Edition

Never-Ending Syndrome Edition Part Two: Publishing Edition -

Photo credit: stanjourdan on Flickr

so, way back in June 2011 (as in, a month after I started blogging), I wrote this post on really hyper syndrome never-Ending edition, which essentially describes that ever-present feeling of never really done with editing when working on a book. (You can read it if you want, but you have been warned it is hyper, like many of my posts were in 2011.)

One of you fine readers have occurred on this very former position, and asked about my take now, almost five years later with my debut on the way. The question was: "How did you find BORN when agents and publishers tell you to change things"

As I, like this morning, subject (probably) final changes to beyond the Red , I thought now was as good a time as any to answer.

I, at this point, read beyond the Red lot. A lOT. Like, I'm really not sure how many editing tricks I did, but I read those words more than I care to think. from the first set of amendments, I already knew that lap, I was most afraid of. the final round when the changes are and no more changes can be made

There is a safety net knowing you can always make changes. later if you need to (and for this reason I really worried when working on revisions with my agent). Every time I hit "send" with the new series of changes to my editor, I okay, I can change something in the next round if I want to remember.

Except that now I know I can probably not. Not really. Not with something important, at this stage anyway.

Somehow, reading it again and again helped, because when I arrived at that last lap I felt pretty good as, in all likelihood, I had already made the changes that I wanted. And I did, and sometimes remind me of some of these changes was reassuring, because I knew agree, but I fixed x.

The other part of me knows that once I get past the "no more change at all" copy of my editor, I will probably not play. Partly because I read these words so many times freaking , but also because I fear that I will necessarily find a typo or a choice of words I decide I do not like and I will not be able to do something about it. And you know, ignorance is bliss and all that.

At this point, I keep locked up some truths to keep in mind when I inevitably start worrying about not being able to change something:

1. I wrote and edited to the best of my ability and then some.
2. A typo or wandering eh word choice is not going to break the book. Or me.
3. I will always continue to learn and improve, so I can write and edit better next time.

That's where I am right now. It is an exciting and challenging time for the nerves, but overall, I am proud of myself and of my book. And in less than two months, I will be able to share it with you all. :)

Do you struggle with endless editing syndrome?

Twitter bite size:

Author @Ava_Jae discussions on Never Ending Syndrome edition during the days of pre-release of its debut. (Click for tweeter)