A Certain Point of View, Too

On Writing and Storytelling: The Price of a Missing Paragraph

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by

Alex Diaz-Granados
in , , , , , , , , , ,

Or: Why Editorial Blindness Isn’t Just Annoying—It’s Expensive

There’s a special kind of heartbreak reserved for writers who reread their own work and discover something missing—a line, a transition, a comma that once held the rhythm together. It’s called editorial blindness, and it’s not just a cognitive quirk. It’s a budget line.

This weekend, I spotted a missing passage in Reunion: Coda. Just two sentences, but they mattered. I fixed the Kindle edition in minutes—no cost, no fuss. But the print editions? That’s where the ghosts of revision come with price tags.

Here’s what I’m looking at:

FormatPrice to UpdateNotes
Kindle eBook$0.00Instant update via KDP; readers get the revised version automatically
Paperback$26.00Each revision requires ordering a new copy to verify changes
Hardcover$30.00Same process, higher cost; every fix feels like a luxury

So yes, I hope I don’t find too many more editorial ghosts haunting my pages. But if I do, I’ll chase them down. Because the story deserves it. And so do the readers.

And maybe—just maybe—next time I’ll spot the missing comma before it costs me thirty bucks.

📝 Postscript: The Cost of Care

Cover illustration by Juan Carlos Hernandez (C) 2023, 2024 ADG Books/Kindle Create

Every revision is a quiet act of love—for the story, for the reader, and for the writer I’m still becoming. It’s not just about fixing typos or restoring lost transitions. It’s about honoring the emotional architecture I built, one scene at a time. Even when the edits come with a price tag, I make them because the story deserves to be seen clearly. And so do the people who read it.

Someday, I’ll open Reunion: Coda and read it without flinching. Until then, I’ll keep chasing commas, restoring rhythm, and rereading with hope.

Comments

11 responses to “On Writing and Storytelling: The Price of a Missing Paragraph”

  1. thomasstigwikman Avatar
    thomasstigwikman

    I did not notice any missing sentences. Maybe it is not such a big deal. Well you decide that of course.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar
      Alex Diaz-Granados

      Well, it’s not an easy goof to miss, and it doesn’t have any major impact on the narrative. That said, once you see the corrected version in the Kindle edition (it should be visible by Wednesday in the e-book edition), you’ll understand why I had to fix it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. thomasstigwikman Avatar
        thomasstigwikman

        OK. You might need to point out the exact place of it to me.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar
        Alex Diaz-Granados

        Here:

        “Good,” Maddie says with a grin. “I’m glad it’s not on your nightstand. That would’ve been a bit too much sisterly love for my taste.”

        As we approach the parking garage, Maddie looks out the window with curiosity. “How far is the garage from your place?”

        In a playful imitation of Yoda, I respond, “Not far, my apartment is,” eliciting a chuckle from Maddie as I pull into the garage. “Lucky for me, the force of book sales is strong enough to afford parking here. A history professor’s salary with tenure, cover Manhattan parking rates, it does not.”

        Liked by 1 person

      3. thomasstigwikman Avatar
        thomasstigwikman

        OK. Thank you, Alex.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar
        Alex Diaz-Granados

        You’re welcome, my friend.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. knotty Avatar
    knotty

    Yikes! That’s steep!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar
      Alex Diaz-Granados

      I know $30 is a significant amount, and I appreciate that it might feel steep. But for a 400-plus page novel—one that took me two years to write, revise, and emotionally steward—I believe it’s a fair reflection of the work involved. Since I didn’t go through the traditional publishing route (no advance, no agent), I rely on each sale to help sustain future projects. After printing costs and Amazon’s share, I earn just over $10 per hardcover.

      That said, the Kindle edition is priced more affordably, and most readers opt for that version. I’m grateful for every reader who chooses to spend time with Reunion: Coda, in any format.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  3. Dawn Pisturino Avatar
    Dawn Pisturino

    I didn’t notice anything missing, Alex. I think you’re too hard on yourself. Just about every book I’ve read has had minor typos or a missing word here and there. Readers are more forgiving than you think.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Dawn Pisturino Avatar
      Dawn Pisturino

      I just realized that you were talking about book 2, which I haven’t read. But the rest of what I said still applies. No book is perfect.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Alex Diaz-Granados Avatar
        Alex Diaz-Granados

        Thanks, Dawn—that means a lot. And you’re absolutely right: no book is perfect, especially when it’s part of a living, evolving story. I appreciate your reflections even more knowing they came without having read book 2. That kind of generosity and insight is a gift. If you ever do read Reunion: Coda, I’d love to hear how it lands for you—mistakes, moments, and all.

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