Wound Up in the Copy Edit

I have been spending the week going through the copy edit of WOUND UP IN MURDER. Every copy editor seems to be different. I had one who had a question on just about every page of my manuscript and went as far as to comment that my characters were driving unsafely because I had Molly nestled close to Barry as they drove. Needless to say, I ignored that comment.

Sometimes the copy editors impose their particular taste in words. I had one who didn’t like the word toward and changed every one in the manuscript. I have the final say and can change things back if I don’t agree with their suggestion. I think in that case, I put back some of the towards. Another time a copy editor changed Bordeaux Strawberry ( a flavor of ice cream) to a glass of Bordeaux and a strawberry. Needless to say I changed it back.

This copy editor seems to have a light touch. There have been few word changes and so far one question about the name of a town. When I go through the copy edited manuscript, I go through the whole thing again. This time it seems I’ve been catching word echoes the copy editor missed, along with things like a drink can that was gold colored in the beginning and was suddenly red later in the manuscript. Since I hadn’t finished making the worry doll (the pattern is included in the book)when I was writing the manuscript or going though my editor’s comments, some of the descriptions in how it was made needed to be changed.

If you’re wondering what a worry doll is - you hand her your worries when you go to bed and they’re gone in the morning.

I’m always a little bittersweet about now. I like the idea of being finished with it, but at the same time I hate to let go. This is the last time I will be able to make any big changes in the manuscript. After this, I will have to say good bye to these character’s for now. Of course, I’ll see them again when I write the fourth book in the series and I already know a lot of what is going to happen. But still....

Then as soon as I send WOUND UP IN MURDER hurling through cyberspace, I will be able to get back to working on the tenth Crochet Mystery.

I love the way the worry doll turned out and I hope she is just the beginning of my doll making.