Game World Phenomenology

This is not the actual book, but a dummy for a final check before the printers start production. There were no errors that needed to be corrected. So there will be typos (a heading slipped down a line, for example), and while that's annoying, it's not relevant enough to stop the process and delay everything. I'm sending out the invitations for the defense and the party and hope everyone gets them. I can't do anything more with the book, it will be frozen in time with ink on paper. My opponent and the committee have already received an advance PDF copy, a public one will be available in Lucris shortly and I'll post a link to it here. 3-4 years of work is now behind me, it's hard to say when it actually started, two years of actual writing. Not bad.

I'm doing my own proofreading, it's a bit disconcerting but it seems to be working well. I do it in three steps: First I looked at the manuscript using InstaText (for spelling, grammar, and tone), then I slowly read a hard copy, and today I read a new, revised hard copy in a way that's new to me. I loaded it into a screen reader (I use Microsoft's Immersive Reader through Canvas because I'm so used to Canvas). It's amazingly effective at catching small errors in spelling and wording - and I notice inconsistencies in the use of some terms. I listen with headphones and follow the manuscript with a red pen in my hand. I highly recommend this method, though not as a main proofreading method, but as a comfort when the need to reread the damn manuscript feels like a burden. In less than a week the manuscript goes to the printers, I'm on track!

 It turned out that I was far too optimistic about finding a professional proofreader to work through my English. The first took three weeks to say no, the second stopped responding to emails, and both were supposed to be professional and familiar with reading dissertations. So two months went by and I realized I didn't have the time, so I had to go back to InstaText (a grammar and spelling program) and work through the entire manuscript, which is now done and I have a few weeks for a final proofread. I have a hard copy of the entire book in a binder and it looks like fun. Manuscript goes to the printer on March 31:st.