NOTE: I’ve been struggling with my blog this week. This morning, I got up, turned on lamp, bulb blew out. Went to computer, started my blog, everything going smoothly, then PING my computer, which was evidently going through Window updates, shut off – Yep, I lost what I’d written on my blog. Moral of the story: Go with the flow, so here goes.
Okay, I’m in clinch mode. CHASING JOE is all but done. I love the story, the characters, and I’m ready to go forward with publishing. EXCEPT, I must read through manuscript one last time to check for story comprehension, dialogue, plot, research material, and cleaning up those silly errors. In other words, I am in writing transition: the point where I have to push this “baby” out of the birth canal and let it breathe on its own. Scary. Do you guys feel this way, too?
My biggest “fear” is getting everything published, and then finding nasty little errors that pop up like pimples before a big date. Even though I’m long past the pimple stage of my life, I do wake up in the morning with an aching jaw from clinching my teeth all night. Of course, I do know what I have to do to make myself feel better: Finish the book and get this bugger off my desk.
I guess what I need from all my writer friends this morning, is a hefty kick in the butt to get myself into action and finish this up. Whew. I feel better already.
Keira's Place 
I think you summed us all up perfectly with your description of birthing a book. I’m sure we’ve all had the computer issues too. Sometimes we just have to plant one foot in front of the other and go on. Thanks for the reminder!
Do you have a reader to help you on the final edits? I miss my former writing group for many reasons, but that final reading was so helpful.
Alethea, this time around, I’ve hired professional editing through create space. I just have to make sure I have everything as much in order as possible. Still…this is the point where I get really overwhelmed. I wasn’t sure this blog was the correct one to do this morning, but I feel so much better just blahing it out here and getting feedback.
Good post, Sherry — I know we all have situations like that, and they are terribly frustrating! Good for you to persevere and make lemonade from the lemons thrown your way! I had a few “glitches” with my latest book and even though I asked my publisher to fix the errors before she took it to print, that didn’t happen. Fortunately, they are probably not noticable to the reader, just something I was picky about that was overlooked. I’m amazed at the number of “errors” I and my reader friends continue to find in print, so we aren’t the only ones to agonize over our work and still find imperfections, I guess.
It’s tough! Send that baby out and watch it shine! Good luck!
Thanks guys! I’m feelin’ the love.
Been there done that. Hope things get better!
Sherry-I sure know what you mean. Especially out here on the road. I can be typing away and think it’s been saved and then I lose signal and all is gone. Great post. We all agonise over our writing. I do, no matter if it’s a blog or a book. I also know once something is put out on the internet it’s there, so I try to be careful. You may have to try what some of the rest of us do. Put your blog up early and leave it in drafts. Writer’s always notice way more mistakes than other readers. I was just telling Barb this morning, that I may edit my book again.
Sounds like you have a plan and congratulations on being as far as you are. Cher’ley
Oh those edits. I am positive Gremlins come in and mix up the words after I finish editing.