I finished the intro last time and today I started editing the first content chapter. This one is still more of an introduction to the process (rather than an intro to the book), so there aren’t as many technical details to check, but I am still finding plenty of corrections required. These range from simple copy editing mistakes like using the wrong tense to logic leaps that require more explanation. In the latter case, I’m handwriting the new sections into the printed draft rather than giving in to the temptation to open Scrivener and do it directly there.
I am also finding that I have some frequently repeated phrases. I think this is a consequence of writing small chunks each day. For example, I found that I had used “or anything like that” twice within the span of three paragraphs. In both cases, I was encouraging readers to not worry about something, but seeing the phrase repeated like that was jarring.
This process is also making me want to check out Pro Writing Aid, which I’ve heard featured on The Creative Penn and Self Publishing Show. It’s suppose to help catch things like that, in addition to simple mistakes. Once I finish this content draft, I’ll look into that!
I made it to page 29 out of 166 today, a little bit slower than last time, but at least I’m moving forward!