Year of 5,000 Books

Because I call this blog, the year of 5,000 books and my book is now in conceptual edit I have post the email I sent to my mishpuka (family) in Messiah.

It’s finally happened! My conceptual editor contacted me! I never knew I could get so excited about receiving an email from someone I have never spoken to or met. But I did and so will you when I share that this is the phase I’ve been waiting for and praying about! I am grateful that the Lord has given me a woman who probably speaks Spanish since her last name is Rivera. I must admit that I’m thrilled because I asked them to give me an editor that spoke and read Spanish and/or Hebrew. Since there is more Spanish in the text than Hebrew, having this editor work with me feels like an added blessing.

So that you will better understand what is entailed, below you will find the outline I received which shows what will happen so that you can continue to pray me through this process.

1. I will edit the entire manuscript, watching for things such as grammar, consistency, plot, description, etc.

2. I will send you the edited manuscript, which will have problem areas and my suggestions highlighted. You will look through those (I'll explain this in more detail at that time) and approve, disapprove, or modify in a different font color.

3. You’ll return the manuscript to me, and I will "combine" our edits.

4. I will return the manuscript to you with our Content Approval Form.

5. You will look over the manuscript thoroughly, sign the form if you are content, and return both it and the manuscript to me. Again, I'll explain more as each step approaches.

Please note that delays or missed deadlines on author's part will result in at least a month delay in book production.

Here's what I need from you:

1) Please send me a quick e-mail confirming the exact title of your manuscript as well as the name you wish to use.

2) If you have anything else you need to add to the manuscript (Dedication, Foreword, Acknowledgments, Epilogue, Addendum, etc.) or if you have not yet completed your Book Teaser/Author Bio, please send those items to me as soon as possible.

3) Send any endorsements to me as soon as possible to include them in/on the book.

Also, you should have received an author questionnaire from our director of copy editing a couple weeks ago. If you have completed the questionnaire, please send that to me.

I have sent her everything as requested and will hear from her within six weeks. At that time, she will send me her editing suggestions, which I will review. When the text is corrected I will send the manuscript to her. Ideally, this would take a few weeks. However, do to ministry constraints and other variables it might take longer.

Once she has received my corrections she will merge the texts and send the corrected manuscript to me. That might take a month. Then my work begins in earnest because I need to examine every dot and tittle to make sure the manuscript reads well, has retained its flavor, and accomplished what God asked me to do.

Since I am wise enough to know my editing skills are lacking and aware that having read and reread the text so often I might think something is there that was deleted I have asked two very gifted friends of mine to read the text at this point and let me know if something seems amiss.
That might take time but I would not want to move ahead until I hear their comments and read their notes. Therefore, I will let you know when the manuscript goes to them because their feedback is critical to the success of this project.

Thank you again for partnering with me. If you plan to attend the MJAA Conference at the Irvine Hyatt on February 18-20, please drop by my Casa de Naomi – The House of Blessing pre-sale book table and say hello. Invite your friends to stop by as well.