Mistakes have been on my mind a lot lately. As I grind towards publication of the first two books in my new series, I am haunted by the horror of typos. It doesn't seem to matter how many times you read something, or test the patience of your ever decreasing circle of friends to have a gander too (thanks Michelle and Rosemarie), they are there, lurking just below the surface of a 100% print ready proof,
It got me thinking that typos are a great metaphor for life. They are often the product of seeing what we think is there, not what actually is. They result from racing minds and flying fingers or mental fatigue and lapse of concentration. They are energy sapping persistent irritants that are hard to shake off. And one minor, unintended false move can have dire consequences. For me, they result from a fading brain and dodgy eyesight. So in that sense, mistakes are an inevitable part of the decline of my pretty shaky visual abilities to start with.
I have hated this drafting/re-drafting process with a passion. I love to create with a whistle and a roar, not to nitpick through the bones of the after-party. But, it has taught me some useful things, I grudgingly reflect. Slow down! Pay attention to what is important. Reach out and ask for help (especially from friends who don't wear jam jar glasses). See mistakes as opportunities to improve. My final versions of the books are all the better for my looking again and again to the point of paralysis and nervous collapse.
And if it still isn't quite right, that's ok. It is just the beginning of a new adventure, there will be plenty more books to launch in future, so endless opportunities to nail this proof-reading malarkey. Gulp!- friends beware... run and hide now, HA! Those who like the books and find them useful will appreciate that someone has bothered to write them. And for those that don't, that's ok. My 'thing' is just not their 'thing'.
I couldn't face the final sign off, so I gave it to a teen with sharp eyes and a picky nature. And as I did, she said "are you sure you trust me? This is a big responsibility!". "Yes" I said. "Right now, you are way more able that me to do this". That in itself was a leap of faith!
I have realised over the past few months that sometimes, there is a point in time, when we need someone just to take the weight until we are ready to resume life again. The shy satisfied, smile she gave when she submitted those proofs and approved the order on my behalf, was evidence indeed that when we give up control, we empower others. We don't have to be everything to everyone all the time. Fallible is just fine, it can even be liberating. Now where's the twink?
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