After five grueling months of reading, editing, rewriting, making changes, waiting, making more changes, editing again, proofing, etc., the summer issue of the magazine is finally done. It was sent to press this morning.
I'm pleased with it and proud of it. It's beautiful. Trendy. Smart. Insightful. Anointed. I feel like I was a part of something truly great.
And then tonight, as I was showing my parents (who are visiting, by the way!!) the 80-page proof, I found several big mistakes. Noticeable things. Embarrassing things. Nothing that is really my doing, per se, but nonetheless, things that I wish I had caught on the final proof that I read through last night. I found 30 last-minute errors, and I submitted them this morning. But I should have found 33. If I found them tonight, then I should have found them last night too.
So I question my ability as an editor. I am (more and more) coming face-to-face with the fact that my grammar/proofreading "skillz" are fallible. I don't always think of the right word to use. Sometimes I don't catch the fact that the text in the columns wasn't justified. The extra proofreaders, graphic artists, and I don't always agree on style, and I find myself defending my case and making notes for a style guide I intend to create in the coming months. I find myself explaining to the designers that prepositions are not capitalized within titles, then questioning the rule, myself. I find myself choosing my battles, so as not to make enemies within the production team. The entire process is incredibly humbling, and I am learning.
I have so many mixed emotions....I know all the hours I personally put into this magazine, and I am proud of the fruits of my labor. But for me, there's this cloud hanging over the Release Party next Sunday. It isn't a perfect piece, and it should be. Yet, can it ever be perfect? It seems like there's always something. I am envious of big magazine editorial staffs, and I have this urge to read through their magazines line by line, in search of mistakes, just to prove it can happen to them too. I want to find my trusty AP Style Manual and brush up on everything...just because.
Ughhhhh. I'm only human. And that's just going to have to be ok.
finale
3 years ago
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4 comments:
ah the horror of the perfectionist who learns that she is not perfect.
most likely, the errors you found were much bigger to you than to everyone else....because your eye sees those things differently.
i have a feeling your magazine is awesome. and editors aren't supposed to always get along with everybody; they're known for that, and that's how they make a good product.
and now i really want to read it. =) what magazine is it?
don't beat yourself up. the next one will be even awesomer. (i did that just for you.)
muah
I feel your pain. Every Friday I "give birth" to a (usually) 8-page church newsletter, and after I send it out into cyberspace I hold my breath. Not everyone experiences the joy of public failure, but I do on a regular basis. Humbling. Character building.
Joy - Can you please let us know what magazine it is? I am looking forward to reading it!
The magazine is called SHINE Magazine, and this is our third edition. It's the brainchild of our pastor's wife, but it is really high quality for a church-sponsored publication, and we have high hopes for it!!!
If you want a copy, let me know, and I will get you one. :-) I will post pictures of the three editions soon.
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