Have You Ever – Publishing Edition …

by Widdershins

(Continuing my occasional series of weird and wonderful things that never, seriously, never happen to me, ever)

… slaved over a hot keyboard for seven months creating, from the five dimensions (at least) of your imagination, and then editing, a brilliant story filled with engaging characters, and drama galore …

… then formatted it for stage and screen digital and print editions …

…and then upload the digital versions and see nothing wrong them (this is important for later in the story) …

…only to discover, when you return to finish off the print formatting, that there are a few too many typos, that you’re sure you have already corrected, in the manuscript you’re working on …

… until you realise that in some unknown and probably unknowable way, you uploaded the WRONG BLOODY FILE, and didn’t even notice it?…

… so you go back to your clean copy and go through it with a paranoia-inspired fine-tooth comb, secure in the knowledge that no matter how obsessive you are, there will always be at least one typo that will escape detection …

… nah, me neither!

-oOo-

IMPORTANT NOTE: The clean files have been uploaded, and Amazon and Smashwords should clear them within the next 24 hours, so that those of you who have already bought your books can download the updated versions if you so desire. (it was mostly punctuation gaffes)

(For Amazon you need to make sure your device has ‘Automatic Book Update’ turned on – ‘Manage your Content and Devices’ in your Amazon account. Click the ‘Preferences’ tab. Scroll to ‘Automatic Book Update’. Choose ‘on’)

IMPORTANT LESSON: Be able to laugh at yourself, and have a back up plan!

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29 comments on “Have You Ever – Publishing Edition …”

  1. quiall says:
    07/08/2021 at 11:10 AM

    I started reading your book and I absolutely loved it! And then that bloody thing we call life interfered and I am annoyed but I will get back to it, promise!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Geoff Stamper says:
    07/08/2021 at 12:10 PM

    Laughing at yourself is a vital skill!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Admin says:
    07/08/2021 at 3:37 PM

    Fun times as a writer! 💜

    Liked by 1 person

  4. acflory says:
    08/08/2021 at 1:58 AM

    Oh Gawd. I feel your pain. I’ve got the first version but haven’t started reading yet. I’ll see if I can cadge the update [don’t have that doohickey set to on]. If not, don’t worry. We’ve all been there one way or another. -hugs-

    Liked by 1 person

    • Widdershins says:
      08/08/2021 at 1:52 PM

      Thanks, Meeks 🙂 …
      I hope you enjoy it. 😀 …
      I freaked out at first, but it didn’t last, I was able to laugh about it soon thereafter. Thankfully it was mostly punctuation guff which is usually the very last edit run-through I do.

      Liked by 1 person

      • acflory says:
        08/08/2021 at 3:33 PM

        Having followed your blog for quite a while now, I’m not at all worried about the quality of your writing, punctuation or no. 😀 I have two more books ahead of Mildy and then I can jump in.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. derrickjknight says:
    08/08/2021 at 3:49 AM

    Phew. I was full of dread that this one wouldn’t end with “Nah! Me neither”

    Liked by 1 person

  6. D. Wallace Peach says:
    08/08/2021 at 6:50 AM

    I get paranoid that I’m going to update the wrong file or delete part of the text and not notice. I’m glad you caught it! And thanks for the tip on the Automatic Book Update. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Widdershins says:
      08/08/2021 at 1:44 PM

      I have no idea how it happened!… but I’m so glad I caught it when I did! 😀 … thankfully it was mostly punctuation guff.
      You’re welcome about the updating thingy -I would’nt’ve known about it either if I hadn’t gone through this process, so that’s an up-side. 😀

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Ruth Nestvold says:
    08/08/2021 at 2:10 PM

    Naw, I have never handed off the wrong version of a file to anyone, ever! Cross my fingers and hope to die …

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Sean says:
    08/08/2021 at 2:15 PM

    I hate when that happens! Too often I forget to save my most recent version before emailing it. I’m getting better but it still happens occasionally despite my best efforts to get in the habit of closing the document first.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Widdershins says:
      08/08/2021 at 8:05 PM

      I’ve done that with a few blog post myself, but nothing of this scope before … I guess I can cross it of my bucket-list! 😀

      Like

  9. Leona R Wisoker says:
    09/08/2021 at 6:53 AM

    Oh yes. I haven’t done this myself, but it sounds entirely within normal range. I do swear there are digital gremlins who pop in as the file is going from publisher to “published” and introduce typos that WERE NOT THERE during the multiple rounds of proofing. Sigh. I’ve had to learn to expect errors to multiply…

    Liked by 1 person

    • Widdershins says:
      09/08/2021 at 7:00 PM

      I’ve never dropped a clanger this big before, so I guess I can cross it off my bucket-list now! 😀
      … and no matter what we do there will always be at least one typo, even if we create the perfect copy, that little bugger just sneaks in there. 😀

      Like

  10. katey26 says:
    11/08/2021 at 8:17 AM

    Oops! At least you realised pretty quickly. Will the print version be the correct one?

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Rosaliene Bacchus says:
    11/08/2021 at 10:29 AM

    It’s terrible when that happens. It’s great that Amazon and Smashwords make it easy to correct and update your file.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Shayleene MacReynolds says:
    12/08/2021 at 12:26 PM

    Just ordered a copy and thrilled to read it! ❤

    Liked by 1 person

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