Well, I just finished my first round of line edits. And I feared it would be painful, but it wasn’t. Not at all. So far, my editing experience has been relatively good. My manuscript wasn’t all covered up in red, you see, but I think part of it is my attitude toward editing too. Before this process even started, I adopted the attitude that “this is only going to make my book stronger”. Having that approach as I go through this editing process has made everything seem so much easier. In fact, I appreciate my editors more. I appreciate their talent set and their time and input they are giving to my manuscript (yes, I realize they are being paid). But, I know they are not “out to get me”. I truly believe they want to make my book the best it can be. (Cue sunshine and butterflies, right?)
I will not say that this process, though not painFUL, has been pain FREE. It’s not easy to tear up your work, to step back and take an objective look at it and say “I think they have a point, that whole paragraph is redundant and has to be shredded to pieces”. For those of you who have been following me on this journey for a while may remember the pain of the pre-editing part of the process. Whew! Talk about grueling!
But in all of it, I know my book, my art, is still mine. I have had the creative choices and voice through it all. And that is priceless to me. When I wanted to keep something, my editors understood. And I so appreciated that about them and about my publisher…that they allow this to be a reflection of me above all. That they understand that my name goes under the title and so I have to be satisfied with the finished work.
And so, I think as far as getting this book out, I’m on the home stretch. Now, back to marketing…