I spent most every free working minute last week on the copy-edited manuscript for the New Reader's Lexicon. It was an arduous process. I read through the entire manuscript (over 700+ pages in the printout we had) looking for any errors or problems. I found about 20 different problems to correct. Now my co-author Jeff Miller has the manuscript. He will do the same thing I did this week. We will likely meet together at the end of the week to compare notes and put our heads together on anything which needs a mutual decision.
On the whole I feel exceptionally good about the project. This was the last time we will be able to correct any errors. I am certain that there are still errors in the text (no book is perfect, and this will be no exception), but we have done everything possible to make the data accurate and minimize any problems in the text.
During this process I have learned a great deal about publishing work, but I think these lessons could be applied to any major academic writing project (like a thesis or dissertation). Allow me to crystallize two lessons for those interested in a large academic writing project:
Ultimately the buck stops on the author's desk. Publishers are great in what they do, but only the author knows the ins and outs of the text. It is their responsibility to make sure that the content of the book is what it should be. In an academic project like a thesis or dissertation, the advisor and readers provide help and assistance, but they only work with what the author writes. It still is up to the author to write correctly and appropriately.
Well begun is half done. We had an easy time working through the manuscript in this stage because Jeff and I at the beginning of the project were committed to excellence. We put in place methods and procedures which helped us all along the way. There was in reality very little to work on at this point. That's a great lesson for a thesis or dissertation, especially when it comes to writing the syllabus. The roadmap, method, and procedures for the project must be spot on. If they are, the project will be much better. If not, the whole project will suffer.
Dr. Michael Burer is Assistant Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary. He is the assistant project director for the NET Bible and has contributed various studies to the bible.org site. His first book - A New Reader's Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, co-authored with Jeff Miller - was published Fall of 2008. 
Prof Burer,
I certainly agree that the author must be the primary watchdog for manuscript errors. Unfortunately, that is not always enough. Years ago I had a book published by a major Christian publishing house. It included a chapter on Daniel 4. I had looked at the "galley proofs" to make sure all was well, and I got the publisher to agree to make no further changes. But they did make changes on one page that made the author (me) say that Nebuchadnezzar wrote the book of Daniel! They wound up having to put an errata sheet into every book to apologize for the needless error.
May God have better performance than that in your publishing future!
Barry
Dr. Burer,
Good to hear the manuscript is almost finished--I can imagine what an accomplishment that must feel like. I'll be one of the first in line to pick one up when they're off the press!
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