Everyone Needs an Editor

Everyone needs an editor. This came home to me when I opened the first copy of my first novel, Keeping Private Idaho. Two professors had read and corrected the manuscript. Two editors had done the same. My wife, who is good at copy editing, had also read it. I had read and reread it a dozen times. Yet, there it was. The first line of the book starts with a quote. Somewhere along the line that quotation mark disappeared. The first error in the book was in the first paragraph, the first line, THE FIRST CHARACTER.
I have learned since that it is a rule that everything you print is perfect until you pick up the first copy from the printer or publisher. It does not matter whether it is a brochure, a newsletter or a book, you will find an error in the first minute once it is too late to correct it. Call it Rick’s Rule.

The consequences of my making an error in this blog are small. Thousands will not die if I leave out a word or misplace a comma. I would like perfection, but Rick’s Rule still applies. I write this little book blog a few days in advance. I always read each post several times. Still, when it is time to post something, I give it one more read and often find an error or two.

So, expect some errors in this blog. Expect some errors in the book, regardless of the skills of my editors. Ric’s Rule.