Reviewing copy edits is the most tedious thing I've ever done

I'm in the process of reviewing the copy edits made to my book before it finally goes off to production. I can honestly say that I've never done anything more tedious.

Granted, the editors didn't make a ton of changes (I guess that degree in journalism counts for something after all), but it's enough that you have to read very, very carefully. Looking at these Word documents with all of the changes tracked and comments hurts the eyes. Last time I did something like this was in college circa 1993, when we didn't have Word and you still had to paste together the newspaper. (We didn't have instant messaging or the Web either. How the hell did we survive?)

Aside from looking at the final proofs, this is essentially the end of the project for me. My wife Stephanie keeps yelling at me for blowing it all off as something anyone can do, but I never wake up and think, "Holy crap, I wrote a book and it was published!" I can be an arrogant bastard about a lot of things, but for some reason I tend to understate my professional accomplishments. I couldn't tell you why.

I've got a lot of little projects to start, finish, or think about, but I've also got that question in my mind about whether or not I should write another book. From proposal to publication it will take about 15 months, so if I want to take a stab at supplementing my income in a serious way, I can't wait forever to do it again.

Any seasoned authors have advice?

2 Comments

  • The copy edit phase is the most tedious (right behind upgrading a new revision to take into consideration the next version of .NET and its features). The most joy I got was the actual writing of the samples, followed by the ability to impart bits of insight that I learned in hopes that I'd make some developer's day easier some time.



    As for advice on whether you should do it again, I can't say. The only advice I can give you is to ask yourself would you do the 1st book again now, knowing what you know now?

  • I have some advice, but it's not pretty...



    I also find this part of the process so tedious and boring that I often think I am reading the book and I am really not. Therefore, to get myself to read every line I highlight them after I have read each line. That way I know that I have really read the line and not just skimmed over it.



    Didn't say it was pretty but it is effective for me. Good luck!



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