Diary of Manuscript...

This is what I have been busy with recently-- proofing my manuscript (Letters from the Emily Dickinson Room).

It is very hard for me to proof my own work because I have all the poems memorized in my head.  I find myself not reading the poem on the page, but reciting it.  Because of this, I basically put pencil to paper for every single word and I say it out loud.

I sound like a nut up in my bedroom slowly reciting each word, but for me, this is the only way I can do it.

I will do this at least three times through the entire manuscript because sometimes my mind wanders and I flip to the next poem, but haven't really proofed the one I was on, just going through the motions.

Mostly, the poems look great, but the formatting (such as indents, etc.) have been off.  This is the same thing we struggle with at Crab Creek Review taking an MS Word file and turning it into a book.  Things go a little funky sometimes.

But I'm not worried.  I have so many beautiful books from White Pine Press I know this book will be incredible when done and all the indents and epigraphs will be in their correct places.

I proof for 45 minutes, then take an outdoor break and a rest.  I will do this throughout May until all the corrections are made.

Publication date:  October 2010.  I can't wait.