If you’re someone who gets excited just by looking at books or who loves the crisp scent of a freshly printed novel, you know the magic of holding a new book in your hands.

The joy of flipping through untouched pages, the thrill of diving into a new story—it’s unmatched. But along with that joy comes the occasional heartbreak. A typo. A missing page. A weird formatting error that makes you pause mid-sentence. It’s frustrating, isn’t it?

To understand things better, we spoke with Karishma Kothari, whose debut book, I AM MAGIC, was recently released. The book explores those uncertain moments in life when you’re caught between who you were and who you are becoming. It’s a quiet, comforting read for those navigating change.

With her first book out in the world, Karishma shared her thoughts on writing, editing, and the little imperfections that sometimes slip through.

“For a non-writer, it might seem easy—just put words together. But it’s not that easy. It’s an entire process to put together words that make sense. Writing isn’t just about stringing sentences together. It’s about choosing the right words, crafting meaningful phrases, and making sure everything flows. It’s a long, intricate process that demands patience and skill.”

She explained how easy it is for small mistakes to go unnoticed during the writing process.“When you’re in the flow of writing, you might not focus on the spelling. Your brain moves faster than your fingers, and before you know it, you’ve typed something incorrectly without even realizing it. These tiny mistakes don’t seem like much at the time, but later? They stick out like a sore thumb.”

Editors play a crucial role in refining a book before it reaches readers. “That is why editors are crucial. They bring fresh eyes to the manuscript, catching things the writer might have overlooked. No matter how careful an author is, self-editing isn’t enough. Editors ensure clarity, consistency, and, most importantly, a polished final product.”

At the same time, she emphasized the importance of the author taking responsibility for their work. “But I believe the book is your baby, and nobody knows it better than you, so you should check everything. Even after an editor has worked their magic, a writer needs to go over their book again. Editors help, but at the end of the day, your story, your message, and your voice matter most. A final review by the author ensures that nothing gets lost in the editing process.”

Giving the book time before reviewing it again can make all the difference.

“But you need to give it time. When you write, you think everything is right. But step away for a while, then come back with fresh eyes—suddenly, you’ll notice things you missed before. That’s why the best writing advice is always to take a break before editing.”

No book starts out perfect, no matter how skilled the writer is. “The first draft is never perfect. And it never is. The first draft is messy, filled with inconsistencies, and often makes no sense when reread. But that’s part of the process. Writing is rewriting, and every great book goes through multiple drafts before it’s ready for the world.”

Even after countless revisions, sometimes errors slip through.

“Sometimes, some things might slip. Once everything is published, you can’t do anything. No matter how many rounds of editing a book goes through, mistakes still happen. And once the book is printed? That’s it. There’s no fixing it unless you’re willing to go through the long and expensive process of republishing.”

She acknowledged that fixing errors after publication isn't always possible. “The cost to reprint can be higher. So you let that one small error be. It’s not ideal, but there’s nothing you can do. Printing a book isn’t cheap, and reprinting it for a minor typo isn’t always practical. So, sometimes, authors have to live with tiny imperfections. It’s frustrating, but it’s reality. And honestly, as long as the story is good, does one small mistake really matter?” she added.

Perfection is every writer’s dream, but some things are simply beyond control. “As a writer, you want your book to be perfect, but sometimes things are not in your control. No matter how much effort goes into it, something always slips through. And maybe, just maybe, that’s what makes books so beautifully human.”

Books are love. Books are life. And sometimes, even with the occasional typo or misplaced comma, a great book is still a great book. So, fellow book lovers—tell us, which of these moments made you laugh, sigh, or cry inside just a little bit?