Line Edit Hell

This is what line edit hell looks like! I can't figure out how to put numbers on my pictures, so I will just list, from left to right, the objects, and you can amuse yourself trying to figure out what is what.

1) All the pages on the far left: the publisher style sheets that came with the line edits, so I can see how they handled differnt types of works.

2) Back left: a three-pack of Pink Pearl erasers so I can keep changing my mind.

3) Next to the erasers: a package of color pencils because I have to do the line edits in pencil, but it has to be a different color that the one the copy editor used and the one my editor used.

4) At the base of the candlestick: trail mix, to give me stamina.

5) My unabridged American Heritage dictionary, so I can check and see if the copyeditor is correct when she changes my word choice or spelling. End tally: copyeditor: 27; author: 2 (but those two make it totally worthwhile to have looked everything else up!)

6) Big stack of paper in the middle? That's the ms that I haven't gone over yet. The yellow stickies are all the copy editor's questions about what drug I was on when I wrote that particular part.

7) The small stack to the left? That's the part I've already done. Sob.

8) My blue glasses case is on top of the small stack. Too many years on the computer and reading has turned me into a reading-glasses-users at age 36. Sigh.

9) Small, dark pink object to the right of the dictionary? That's my hand pencil sharpener for my color pencils. Damn thing kept breaking off the tips. Hate it.

10) Just below that is a stack of sticky notes, so I can write all my explanations for every change I make, in hopes that my changes will make it into the final manuscript. Please, please, please.

11) To the right of the sticky notes is my Ipod and speakers to keep me from falling asleep while I work.

12) Just below the Ipod is a red pencil. This is for writing back in the copyeditor's changes when I "accidentally" erase them.

13) Below the Ipod is the manual Warner send with the copy edits describing the entire production process and what my role is at each stage. It's awesome! I have it open to the list of proofreader marks so I can understand what the copyeditor is marking on my ms.

14) Big blue pillow on the back of the chair to support my back so I will still be able to walk when I finally stand up after hours of line edits.

15) My cell phone is in the middle of the dictionary, so I won't miss the call when Steven Spielburg calls to tell me he wants to direct a movie version of my book. So far, it hasn't rung.

posted by Stephanie Rowe @ 2:15 PM