My first novel will step forth into the world on April 18, 2023. Exceptionals has been a labor of love nearly four years in the making. From short story to novel, it has seen critique group feedback, beta reader comments, and edits galore. However, as I’ve just discovered, when it comes to honing the fine, knife’s edge of a finished novel, the power is in the proof.
Proof copies are the first drafts of the published novel. They are the initial look at how the cover design fits on the selected format. Mine, for example, skewed about 1/8 inch to the right, so the cover image did not flow to the edge of the spine. The front and back cover copy were right (and left) of center. That had to be adjusted.
My introductory pages (like praise, acknowledgements, and dedication) all needed to be tweaked, as did the stuff at the back, like my author bio and teaser for another book. The manuscript needed work as well, and it is work I would not have done had I not ordered a proof and went through it page by page.
It is so tempting to simply upload manuscript and cover, write a quick descriptive blurb, and then hit PUBLISH.
There is power in the proof, and that power is the light shone on sloppy writing and lazy formatting. It is so tempting to simply upload manuscript and cover, write a quick descriptive blurb, and then hit PUBLISH. It’s done! People can order my masterpiece, and I can move on.
That’s not good enough. Whether what you create is a novel or a painting or breakfast for your 5th grader, you owe it to yourself (and the world) to take the time to ensure your product is the best you can make it (don’t burn the kid’s pancakes, ever).
For $30 American, I ordered a proof of my novel. I thought it was good-to-go save for some formatting tweaks that I could correct in a couple of hours. Nope. A week later, I’ve read through the entire book, noted changes in at least one of every four chapters, and added about five hundred additional words necessary to close a loophole so big I can’t believe I hadn’t stumbled drunkenly through it a year ago.
My point is that there is power in the proof. If you’re set to publish a novel, you owe it to yourself to spend the money and time. Get a proof copy. Analyze it six ways from Sunday. Ensure you’re producing the best version of your work possible. Hell, you went through the gauntlet of writing the damn thing. You owe the story, if nothing else, the effort of refining, heating, and hammering it into the finest edge possible.
There is power in the proof. I have been blessed by it.
