Editing is like a merry-go-round. At first it can be a bit of a thrill, accompanied by a hint of butterflies.  But if you stay on the carousel too long…

MP900438660[1]   you’re gonna get sick.

Aside from editing the voice right out of your work, story fatigue becomes a factor. You get so sick of your characters, you don’t want to spend another second with them. You can’t see what’s wrong or right with the manuscript. Your inner critic tells you it’s crap and then asks…

                                        Question Mark

“What the heck were you thinking?” You want to yell at the top of your lungs, “Stop the ride! I want to get off.”

That’s where I’ve been. During the last month and a half, I undertook a very careful, critical look at my novel as a whole. I condensed scenes and tightened to a painful but loving squeeze. The word count shrank to a number I don’t feel the urge to caveat, or fight back a cringe when asked, “How long is it?”

But before jumping off the ride, I wanted to consider the critiques I anxiously awaited from The Four Seasons Contest I’d entered in September. Over the weekend I received those critiques, but also got some exciting news.  My novel finaled in the YA category of the aforementioned contest!! *Still doing a happy dance.*  This validates what my awesome critique partners and beta readers have been telling me — it’s time for the perfectionist in me to take the leap.

I know when the right agent or editor falls in love with my story, there will be many more edits, but for now, it’s almost time for me to jump off the edit-go-round!!