It's been a whirlwind last week or so. I found myself having to move on about three days' notice, so you can imagine how much FUN that was. 🙄 #threemovesinninemonths #letsnotdothatagain
But now I'm back!
My new place is significantly smaller than anywhere else I've lived in the last . . . actually, probably since college. I've had to get rid of a lot of stuff that just doesn't fit into the new space. I'm a worry-prone, but-what-if-I-need-this-later type. But right now, I need to be able to move around in my room without having to constantly dodge boxes (I already have plenty of scrapes and bruises from moving!). So some things just have to go. And I've been a bit shocked at how well you can let go of things when you have no other choice.
The editing process--whether it's self-editing or working with an editor--is a lot like that. My old boss used to say that sometimes writers get a manuscript back from an editor and feel like the editor has "tattooed their baby" with all the suggested changes.
I get it. I'm a writer too. That's a big piece of your soul laid out in that file, and it can be hard to accept that it needs edits, especially if they're extensive.
At the same time, our ultimate goal is to publish the best books we can. And that often requires some cutting, trimming, and polishing. As hard as it might be to donate a trusty piece of furniture or delete scenes (or even whole subplots!), if it ultimately makes life/the book better, then I'd say the sacrifice is worth it.
The handy thing about writing, though, is that even if you have to cut something from your current story, you don't have to discard that thing altogether. You can save it in a bits-and-pieces file until you find the story where it truly fits.
If you're ready to take that plunge, remember, we're in this together. Click here to book a time for us to talk about it.
Write on,
Candice
(Thanks to HiveBoxx for sharing their work on Unsplash.)
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