For today’s lesson in publishing, let’s talk about proofs.
I received the proof of my book today. And first, let me start by saying I cannot accurately describe the incredible feeling of holding your own book for the first time.
I wrote a book.
And now I’m holding that book in my hand.
WOW.
However… I didn’t like the way it turned out. I didn’t like the size and I didn’t remove all of the trim lines on the cover image that I submitted.
You would think that’s an easy fix, right? Well… it should be. Here’s where me being new comes in. I already hit publish because I figured as long as it wasn’t released I could still make changes.
You can’t. At least not to the size of the book. The cover you can change, but it takes time to update. How do we fix this?? You have to unpublish the book, un-attach it from the eBook version, and then put everything together again. Not the end of the world, but it could have been a disaster if I didn’t schedule my release for three weeks from now.
So, here’s the truth about proofs. They are important. You really do need a physical copy of your book in hand before you hit that publish button. And you only need one (at least until you’re sure you like it and then you can order more so other people can take a look). You need to see how your colors turn out. If your words are centered. Look through the physical words on an actual page and see if you can spot errors. Then give it to someone you trust and ask them to do the same.
Today, I remind myself that it is not a race, and as excited as I am to get my words in the hands of all you lovely people. I want to make sure they are well designed. I’ve already fixed the cover and size, and new proofs are on the way (and this time I didn’t hit that publish button just yet).
I am still on schedule for my November 14, 2025 release date. The eBook is ready to go and it will be available on KU. The paperback and hardback versions are still on time. And because I allowed for time and ordered proofs you can all be certain that you will get the best copy of the book that I am able to give you.
Leave a Reply