It is Finished…

Posted by jrosenhouse on May 23, 2011
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The BECB, that is. (That’s the big evolution/creationism book, for those not up on the local slang.) Many years ago, my thesis adviser, exasperated that I was “putting the finishing touches” on my thesis for about two straight months, told me heatedly that at some point you have to stop revising and just hand in the damn thing. So I took that to heart. Each time I proofread the BECB I found something new to fiddle with, but at some point you just have to say that enough is enough. It’s as good as it’s ever going to get. So I sent it off to my editor this morning.

Of course, it will be a while before it gets turned around as a finished book. I assume it’s going to be sent out for some sort of peer review. There will probably be one more round of revisions, and there’s a decent chance I will have to cut some more stuff since it’s currently a bit on the long side. Very painful, since as it is I have about another hundred pages of material that I wrote and then cut myself. Is there a sequel in my future?

At any rate, thanks to all my proofreaders (you know who you are). If the book is readable at all it’s largely because of your efforts.

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Comments

  1. #1 tyaddow
    May 23, 2011

    glad to hear- can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.

  2. #2 FTFKDad
    May 23, 2011

    Perhaps you know this story: After years of study, dedication and hard work, a PhD student finally delivered his thesis to his Professor. The following week, the Prof called the student into his study. “It’s too fat” reported the Prof. Exasperated, as he had spent so much of his life working on the document, the student took the document back and worked hard on it for another two weeks, cutting and pruning, revising and editing and delivered the greatly reduced version back to the Prof. The following week, the prof called the student back to his study again. “Too fat” he said once more. Almost in tears, the student was sent back with manuscript in hand. He couldn’t see what he could possibly do to make it any shorter. But he worked on it again, revising, editing and pruning, hardly sleeping as he worked to slim it down. Two weeks later he delivered the document again. “Sir, I cannot do any more” said the student. “Fine” said the professor “in that case, i’ll now read it!”

  3. #3 Dave M
    May 23, 2011

    Peer review? What sort of “scientist” needs peer review??

    [ring ring] Excuse me – I better take this.

    [into phone:] What is it? I’m busy. What? Really? I see. Okay. Thank you. Bye. [click]

    Never mind – carry on.

  4. #4 Roland
    May 23, 2011

    Reminds me of the of the old saying – a work of art is never finished, only abandoned.

  5. #5 Jason Rosenhouse
    May 23, 2011

    FTFKDad –

    To be honest, I’m still not sure if my adviser ever actually read my thesis!

  6. #6 NAL
    May 23, 2011

    Don’t forget about a Kindle edition.

  7. #7 Tommy Holland
    May 24, 2011

    Congratulations, and I’m looking forward to reading it.

  8. #8 Wolfgang Fischer
    May 24, 2011

    J.R.R.Tolkien once said that among hundreds of critics of his “Lord of the Rings” there never has been any one complaining that the book was too big.

  9. #9 Grant
    May 26, 2011

    Wolfgang Fischer,

    Yes, but theses shouldn’t meant to be sagas (to the examiners, anyway).

  10. #10 Grant
    May 28, 2011

    Excuse the grammar – I edited the comment without re-reading it right through. Sorry.