I’ve Started Editing my Novel

After the last several days of physical labor, where I’ve literally been tearing down walls and rebuilding them, I expected editing my story to feel like difficult labor.  It wasn’t.  Tiling and grouting my bathroom walls have left my hands bruised and cut, and I expected that retooling my story would leave similar damage on my psyche.  Instead, it was like meeting up with an old friend and catching up on the past.  Instead of feeling drained and beaten, I felt invigorated and hopeful.

This isn’t to say that I’m going to drop everything else I was doing and finish editing my novel.  My original plan was to finish the first draft of my epic fantasy before going back to do the next draft of my urban fantasy.  That’s still my plan, but I needed to take a detour in preparation for Convolution.

I was contacted a week or so ago and asked if I wanted to participate in another Writer’s Workshop.  It was a fantastic experience, so I replied that I did.  I then had some back and forth with the coordinator as to what story I should send.  Her first suggestion was that I send the updated story from last year.  I would rather workshop the first few thousand words of my novel.  She suggested I send both and do two workshops, and I simply couldn’t argue.

Before I could send her anything, however, I needed to make sure it was “ready.” I know on some level that I will always have doubts about whether or not my writing is ready to send off or not.  This isn’t a case of doubt or fear, though.  I just wanted to do a quick check before letting my work go.

And now I’m here, excited about my novel again.  I really didn’t expect to enjoy editing it.  Have I ever enjoyed editing something?

I might have a name for my urban fantasy, thanks to Melissa.  I can’t keep calling it “the Mel Walker story” because it’s my hope that it will be the first of many.  I’m leaning towards calling it The Repossessed Ghost.