I love being part of the Insecure Writers Support Group. Once a month, we
can let all our insecurities hang out and someone (many someones) will offer
suggestions, support, and understanding. A big THANKS to Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh for starting
this group and keeping it going.
How did I go from detail oriented to OCD?
When writing a resume, you really can’t say you’re a
nit-picker or anal retentive. They sound so negative. Detail oriented sounds so
much better and, depending on the job you’re going for, that could be just what’s
needed.
Do you remember “Monk” on television? I used to laugh at his
eccentricities—signs of a serious condition taken to extremes. Although laughter was the
point of the show, it's not so funny when obsessive-compulsive disorder takes over
your life.
As a kid I never won spelling bees, but I'm a pretty good speller. So it drives me
crazy when I see words not spelled correctly—on signs, in the newspaper,
online. I’ve never gone so far as telling the source that they needed a
spell-checker, but I've been tempted. Then there’s the mixing up of homophones like its and it’s (don’t
depend on Microsoft’s spell check, it’s wrong), they’re, their, and there, or
to, two, and too. Typos happen and as often as you read through your
manuscript, the minute it’s in print, you see a glaring mistake on the first
page. Gaa. The biggest complaint I hear/read about self-published books is the lack of proper editing. As nit-picky, detail oriented as I am, I have to have someone edit my manuscripts before self-publishing.
Does that make me OCD?
Following rules was another bug-a-boo for me. Notice I just
wrote “was” not is. I would point out that an organization had to follow its
own by-laws and/or policies and procedures. While correct, it sure didn’t win
me a lot of friends. Now that’s OCD.
How to overcome? Relax. Don’t sweat the small stuff (and it’s
all small stuff). What other clichés can I come up with? The fate of the planet
does not rest on paying attention to every detail. You’ve probably figured out
that I can laugh at myself. I’m just a slow learner.
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GREAT NEWS
On Friday, The Wild Rose Press will release my romantic suspense One Red Shoe worldwide in all ebook formats and in print. Whoo-hoo. Please come
back and celebrate with a giveaway.
Blurb for One Red Shoe:
Wannabe writer rescues
wounded spy while risking her heart.
Daria Mason’s life is too predictable. Nothing ever happens
in her small Iowa town where everybody knows everybody else. But when she
travels to New York City looking for a little excitement, she never expects to
bring home a wounded spy.
From the moment agent Sam Jozwiak steals intel vital to US
security from a Russian Mafia kingpin, Murphy’s Law takes over. No matter how
he covers his tracks, the kingpin’s assassins find him. What’s worse than
getting shot in the butt? Accepting help from an Iowa tourist.
Sam and Daria flee cross country with the assassins right
behind them. Sharing danger and excitement—and a few kisses—with Sam soon has
Daria convinced he’s the man for her. He thinks she’ll be better off once he’s out
of her life for good. With their lives on the line, can she convince him they
belong together?
Buy links (current):
The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=1082
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00FDXRHZA
Click here
to find others on the Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop. Or go to IWSG on Facebook to see who’s
blogging today.
Details are important and I wouldn't worry that you fixate on them. This is especially good for self publisher because we really need good self pubbed books out there.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new release! One Red Shoes sounds exciting!
Thanks, Charity. Best wishes for the new year.
DeleteI think I go OCD a few times a year. It usually coincides with my 'deep' cleaning, once everything in the house is organized, I pick on everything else. Other than that, I'd like to think I pay attention to a lot of details without fixating much on them. A lot of things you mentioned do bother me as well. And I wouldn't dream of publishing my work if it wasn't edited and proofread first…so I'm with you there ;)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the release. Friday will be epic!
Thanks, S.K. Oh, how I wish my house was organized. We moved in in September and I've developed "tunnel vision" so I do see the unopened boxes and can concentrate on writing. Sometimes, that actually works. Best wishes to you.
DeleteA cross country adventure involving the mafia and assassins, filled with danger and excitement... and a few kisses! All the elements of a great story! Congratulations on the release!
ReplyDeleteI think it's imperative to have a professional editor look at your work, before self-publishing. It's better to be safe than sorry.Typos happen... even to the best authors...
Hope you have a productive 2014, Diane!
Thanks, Michele. I hope 2014 is a great year for you.
DeleteYikes. I just misspelled your name. Talk about typos. Sorry.
DeleteCongrats on the new book! I think details are important too. And in the past I have contacted authors when I found mistakes in their books. I figure, when my book is out, I'll want to know if there are mistakes too, so I can get them corrected. Usually, most authors are appreciative.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cindy.
DeleteI'm OCD about so many things. Congrats on your book being at all outlets. :) I loved the idea of the group so I requested to join. :) I could use some support with my own insecurities. There's something about comparing yourself to others and feeling like you fall short that I think we all deal with.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melissa. You're right. As an author, I'd want to know (privately) about mistakes in my books.
DeleteWe have to be a bit 'OCD'. I try so hard to find the typos, yet they hide from me. Even from the editors as well if they are real sneaky. Found one in my new release... a 'he' instead of a 'she'. But hard to ignore them when they jump out and spoil the reading experience. Good luck Diane in 2014, especially with the book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Roland. OMG do the typos every jump out--after it's in print.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing wrong with being a bit detail-oriented from time to time. It doesn't make you OCD. And everyone, even a professional editor, needs an editor. We're too close to our own work to see it clearly. Best of luck in 2014, Diane!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Holli, and good luck to you, too.
DeleteFriday?!? That's amazing! How wonderful. Here's a virtual cheese badge for all the hard work you've put in to this point. =) Yay!
ReplyDeleteAs far as OCD... My husband has started accusing me of those tenancies lately, and I'm trying not to believe him. I mean, seriously! Just because I worry about every teeny tiny little details doesn't make me OCD...does it? *gulp*
Thanks for a good laugh, Crystal. Nah, you're just detail oriented. :)
DeleteCongratulations on your upcoming release!
ReplyDeleteHiring an editor if you are self-publishing makes sense. I know I miss my own typos. And yes, drives me nuts as well.
Thanks, Alex. And thanks for starting this great group. So much support.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your upcoming release, Diane!
ReplyDeleteYes, the typos drive me crazy too, especially when I find my own already in print! The problem is you already know what you wanted to say so your eye skips over it.
My eyes sure do. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteDon't even joke, I call my poor son Monk. It's not his fault. His father and I both have issues and we passed them on to him. I knew it the day he organized his crayons by color.
ReplyDeleteBook sounds good!
Heather
Oh, Heather. That poor child. I hope he doesn't start organizing your pantry. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteYay for your Friday release! How exciting.
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit OCD when it comes to editing. Like, how is it possible that I've read over that misspelled word 20 times? HOW?? Thank goodness for editors.
Thanks, Julie. I agree about editing and editors. Best wishes for a great year.
DeleteIf it makes you OCD, I'm OCD as well! Can't stand spelling mistakes and obvious, easy-to-fix errors.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your book release!
Thanks, Deniz.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part of reading many self published books are the blinding typos. Ugh. It takes me out of the moment of the story and then I have a hard time getting back into it (that may be a bit OCD). I'm glad to see you hire an editor. Congrats on the book release.
ReplyDeleteLeanne ( http://readfaced.wordpress.com/ )
I agree, Leanne, about some self-pubbed books. I always hire an editor for mine. For One Red Shoe, I had the publisher's editor who was great to work with. Best wishes for a great year.
DeleteCongrats on your release, Diane!
ReplyDeleteLove me some Monk too, but I agree those kind of compulsions are hard the live with in the real world. Too often, I find myself counting typos instead of reading and plain enjoying books. I think that takes me into OCD territory. :)
LOL. Been there, done that. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteCongratulations on One Red Shoe! I'm happy for you! Also, I think I share the same problem you mentioned in this post. Certain typos or misspellings drive me crazy. I've even seen them in trad-pub books, which makes me shake my head and even chuckle a little. Publishing is a process just like writing is, and somewhere in the big publishing machine these things happen. It's better to just laugh at them, because they can happen no matter how careful we are. (I say this to myself as well.)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the congrats, Donelle. I try to laugh at the little things. Not always successful. Thanks for stopping by.
Delete