Finding that (major) error in your published work
It happens to the best of us. It happens to the worst of us even more. I’m talking about that major error you find in something you’ve published. It’s usually followed by stomach ulcers and weeping and gnashing of teeth. How could you have possibly missed this?! I’m not talking typo or grammar goof. I’m talking a major plot point. You know… like changing the character’s name from book #1 to book #2. We’ve all done this, though, right? Right?
Oy. I was glancing through Divisible by Six the other night. In preparation of crafting book #3, it occurred to me that I couldn’t remember Agent Norris’ first name. Robert or Richard. It’s a bit understandable given the fact that 98% of the time, I refer to him as “Norris.” I did a quick search of the manuscript and stared at a word on the page in horror. “John.”
Wait a second.
I quickly went to the manuscript for book #1. His name’s not John! It’s Richard! WTF?! Well, maybe I’d only done it once. No… despite an early introduction as Agent Richard Norris, he later introduces himself as John… and then for the remainder of the book, he and another character engage in a conversation where he’s called John the entire time.
[Insert F-bomb here.]
I quickly searched the entire document and fixed every mention in both the ebook and paperback. Luckily, a) no one had purchased a paperback (lucky? hmmm) and b) I had yet to produce paperback versions for myself. Crisis slightly averted. Still, several hundred (~1200) folks now have e-copies with a curious change of character. I’m not so surprised that no one caught it, but I went so far as posting a “request to re-upload” the latest version on the Amazon page. It’d make me feel better.
As a self-published author, you’re inevitably responsible for what you publish. But, in the same sense, you also have the ability to go in and fix what you’ve published at any time. A perk to having control over everything.
In the end, on the scale of mistakes, it could have been much worse. With all the erring I do, there’s now no doubt that I’m human. ;-)
How about you? Ever discovered (or worse, had a reader point out) an error in your published work? Share in the comments and thanks for stopping by!
