A Lesson Learned

I know I have written in the past about the importance of proofreading. In my previous career as a medical transcriptionist, a big part of my job was proofreading reports as a working MT and then proofreading test keys and other curricular projects when I became an instructor. So you would think that would be one mistake I couldn’t make once I became a full-time writer. Guess again! When I completed my first novel, A Life Unplanned, obviously I was very excited about that, especially since it took me  a year to write it.  I did proofread my screen copy and my printed off copy, as well as my editor also proofreading and making some changes. Then I did another reading before I uploaded my final copy.

I did a quick review of the online version but didn’t read it thoroughly.  I ordered a proof copy, but instead of reading the printed book, I only checked each page carefully for any spacing errors. I assumed (and you should never assume) that no further proofreading was necessary.  I knew there would probably be a few minor errors here and there. As I have said many times, it’s not about being 100% correct 100% of the time. I don’t think I have ever read a novel that didn’t have a few errors, even from the major publishing houses.  I published my first novel and received good reviews and feedback and of course was thrilled.

When I completed my second novel, I decided to read my printed proof book and not just check it for spacing errors.  I did find some errors, nothing too major, but the point is I found them, even though I had already proofread the manuscript many times, as well as my editor doing the same.  It made me stop and think that maybe I should read my proof copy of A Life Unplanned to see if I would find any further errors. I was truly surprised that there were several errors.

What really brought all of this home to me was recently I had two reviews of A Life Unplanned. One was 4 stars, with the reviewer stating she loved the story, even commenting that she was glad I included recipes in the back of the book that are mentioned in the story. The other review was 3 stars, with the reader saying she enjoyed the story but was not happy with the errors. I suspect she had an older copy, which is why she saw the errors I found when I re-read my proof copy. Let me tell you, that was definitely a cringe-worthy moment for me.  It also cost me what could have been 4 stars and possibly even 5 stars.  My reference book, The Practical Writer, was written for the main purpose of writers taking the steps outlined in that book to make sure your 5-star story doesn’t include 1-star quality.  I didn’t follow my own instruction!

When I completed my first novel, I was beyond excited. I couldn’t believe I actually wrote an entire novel. I was so anxious to get this book out there that I lost sight of the importance of taking that final step to ensure the quality is where it should always be. If you don’t think it’s as vital as the story itself, look at what it cost me. There may even be some readers who won’t purchase my book because of the review.  And I definitely do not blame the reader. She not only expected a good story, but she expected good quality, and I didn’t deliver.  

It’s a wonderful accomplishment to complete a novel, whether it’s your first or twenty-first. But don’t let that excitement overshadow the importance of the quality of the content within your story. Don’t lose out on 5 stars like I did.   It definitely was a 5-star lesson for me. Keep writing and remember to enjoy your day. Thanks for stopping by. Always let me know if you have questions or comments, too. They are welcome any time!  Take care.