The proof is in the proofing
Monday, April 11, 2011 at 08:40PM
I hate to write but I love having written. - Dorothy Parker
Everything must degenerate into work if anything is to happen. - Peter Drucker
I've been spending an inordinate amount of time proof reading the manuscript of my "survival skills for the classroom teacher" book that is due the publisher May 1. Yes, May 1 of 2011. And as a result, I've had almost no time for blogging.
I am thoroughly sick of reading the damn manuscript. It will be about the fourth time I'm going through each chapter - each reading requiring changes, major and minor, all embarrassing. Adding to my misery is that the weather has turned very nice here in Minnesota - perfect for walking, bicycling and just being a bum.
Anyone who writes knows that the act is very much a love/hate relationship. The highs when thoughts are flowing smoothly are the highest; the lows are pretty low when it seems each word must be drug out kicking and screaming on to the page screen - and that ornery word too often turns out to be the wrong one.
Much has been written about how the Internet seems to have reduced our abilities to focus on longer works of text as readers. (See The Onion's Nation Shudders at Large Block of Uninterrupted Text, Carr's the The Shallows, etc.) But I'm thinking that writers, not just readers, may be experiencing a diminution of attention as well. So can a writer be expected to produce a book?
My metier, if I have one, has been the column. 800 words suites me. I can crank out the 3-4000 article when needed. 500 word blog posts are great fun. So the only way I can think about writing a 70,000 word book that makes such an endeavor palatable to readers and conceivable to me is to look at the book as a collection of about 90 columns stitched together in a narrative frame and given single voice. Ah, The mind games we chronically lazy, easily distracted, play with ourselves.
OK, time to stop procrastinating and back to editing. Ignore the blue sky, the greening grass, and e.e. cummings observation...
wholly to be a fool
while Spring is in the worldmy blood approves,
and kisses are a far better fate
than wisdom
Reader Comments (11)
Not that I've published much, but what I have written (other than blog posts) I've given over to trusted friends to proofread for me. Usually more than one. That way I have more eyeballs finding mistakes. But I guess you still have to do it yourself as well. Sigh.
To keep you going, just picture a fictional and wholly absurd publication party for when you finish.
Hey, Doug, congrats on being so close to finishing your book! I've set a June 1, 2011 deadline for my second book (tentatively called "Awakened: Change Your Mindset to Transform Your Teaching".) I can totally relate to everything you shared and it was a huge relief to feel like I'm not the only one!
For me, the biggest challenge is writing a book is the finality of it. If I say something stupid on my blog or website, I can edit it or post a note saying I've reconsidered. The printed word is much more final. I feel like it's a far greater commitment, and that's scary.
The expectation is also higher, I think: anyone can slap some words onto a blog and hit 'publish' without worrying if anyone will think it's good. But a manuscript? If you've written a book, it's supposed to be really, really good. You can't have an "off" chapter" like you can have an "off" blog post.
Hi Ninja,
Good advice. Asking anyone to proof a work of this length is really asking a big favor. Thankfully both my wife and good friend, Mary Meshikomer, looked over the draft and have offered good suggestion.
I've never had a publication party. Maybe it's time to start the tradition!
Doug
Uh, oh, Angela - now I am really nervous!
Good luck with your book. It does take a special breed - probably a stubborn, driven one - to publish a longer work.
Thanks for the comment,
Doug
I'm a copy editor for doctoral dissertations part time and I can tell you that even when it's not your own book/work, proofreading/copy editing can still be agonizing. Several of my students have waited till the last moment and are desperate to get their dissertations done by the end of the month or they can't graduate. Copy editing well written work is fine; it's the ones that don't know the difference between possessives and plural nouns that kill me. And these people will have a Ph.D. in a couple of week...
Hi Jessica,
Having taught English for many years, I know my grammar, I believe, but fail to see the mistakes in my own work. My guess is that purgatory for me will be editing middle school essays.
Thanks for the note,
Doug
Author Malcolm Knox has also just written about the loss of sustained attention he is experiencing as a writer. Check it out here if you need to procrastinate some more:
http://tinyurl.com/3t9mmtx
Good luck with your book.
Penny
Hi Penny,
Thanks for sharing this article. I am not sure whether know this is an international phenomena is reassuring or depressing!
Cheers,
Doug
Doug-
I just now have time to read some past blogs because I just finished revisions on my dissertation. Had to comment on your Love/Hate relationship. At this point - I don't ever want to have to see my Executive Position Paper again...Alas, I successfully defended 2 weeks ago and in midst of revisions...So I need to live with the darn thing for a little while longer...
Cathi
Hi Cathi,
I don't think I know what an Executive Position paper is. Sound awfully serious!
Good luck on what endeavor you are pursuing.
Doug
Sorry Doug - An EPP is what University of Delaware calls the dissertation paper. Just received word that all my revisions are approved. Ready to move on after living with the darn thing for a year!
Cathi
Congratulations, Cathi! What an achievement! Will you be a Professor Fuhrman?
Doug