Monday, January 4, 2016

The pain of editing

I've forgotten how long the editing process is.

You see, I dove into 2015 with ambitions of finishing my second book and submitting it to a publisher or an agent. The thing was written, I just needed to re-write it. But I forgot how painful that process is, and in many ways it was worse because I poured so much of myself into this book.

Writing is one of many forms of expression, but sometimes finding the right words to convey a thought, feeling, or idea takes a little time -- something I hadn't anticipated at the beginning of last year. I have to admit that I did put it off for a little while. Once I'd discovered the contest which I'd hoped to enter was cancelled, I didn't know where to go.

I had some help, and I made solid progress. While Shifter isn't quite where I'd like it to be, it's getting there. There are a couple of scenes that I know need serious help, but overall I like where it's taken me. I've gone through it twice now since completing the first draft, and much has changed.

So here's the next step: Get up the courage (and the motivation) to go through my beta readers' comments. This, too, will be somewhat painful. And yet, I know this is the sort of help my book needs before it can make a splash wherever it goes next.

In the meantime, dear readers, please have patience while you wait for my next few books to be released. I am trying so hard not to let you down with the stories themselves.

Until next time,
Heather Kennison
Author