A new year and a final edit

Today I finished the final edit of my first book, More than a Job, and sent the document to the editor.

It amazes me to actually be done. Like many would-be authors, I have tweaked and edited and played with my two complete manuscripts for literally years.  If it had not been for the encouragement of my writer friend, Tami Dee, they might both be sitting in my "writing ideas" file awaiting yet another read and edit.

This kind of editing is procrastination. There is always something that can be improved. Sometimes I changed names of characters, or the setting, or the first meeting.  I polished the first three chapters endlessly as those are the pages that are entered into contests. Instead of finishing and moving on to other works, I played with these two.

I am happy to say that I have started three other works since my books were accepted by Desert Breeze Publishing. I am working forward rather than re-reading the first chapters over and over. I open and write a page or more every day. On holidays like today I write considerably more. From time to time I set aside a day or two to give them my full attention, turning off the internet and the phone and plowing through.

Editing will come. My publisher has a team of talented people who can help with that, after I finish and do one beginning to end edit.

Between now and then my job is to write, not to edit. Not yet.

It is a valuable lesson.