I’ve started my first polishing pass of Ready or Not.
I sincerely hate this first pass. It’s heartbreaking, really. Even the parts I adored when I wrote them start to look like the parts I’d watched the ink drying on while thinking to myself, It’ll do for now. I can just clean it up in editing.
Some of it is just harsh and unforgiving self-criticism, some of it is true — it did need polish for some reason, some of it is just that horribly self-loathingness that in non-writers cause shapely, pretty girls to think they’re fat and handsome, well-shaped men to think they need to gain 600lbs of tree trunkesqe muscles — I’m seeing flaws that don’t really exist.
The worst part of this first step is, it’s slow. It’s agonisingly slow. I end up staring at the same chapter, or page for days. Thinking I’ve got it fixed then having to backtrack and reconsider it a few pages or chapters later.
I so wish that someone would invent self-writing stories. I do.
Jaye Em Edgecliff 
Oh, I absolutely detest the editing process. I’m happiest when I’m creating.
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I’m coming to the end of my first pass on my first novel and I’ve been amazed at how long it has taken. I have one scene to add and a number of parts to go back to which were highlighted as “better, but not good enough,” plus sprinkling the many tiny gems throughout the story that I’ve thought off in the quiet moments.
I’m glad I’m not the only person to have self doubt when reading what I thought of as a good line, for the fourth or fifth time. Try to remember the buzz that you felt the first time. That’s what a reader will feel.
Good luck with the editing.
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I really should self edit my posts before posting. “Thought off?” Terrible!
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I have that same thought when I reread posts and comments. One of these days I might even remember it! 🙂
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Thank you both. I imagine all will be well, I just wish I hadn’t hit a tangle in the fourth paragraph that placed a nepn sign over all saying: guess what, you gonna be rearranging and rewriting some big chunks! Ain’t that lovely??
I hate signs like that.
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