Round One - Fight!

Before we get started, I need to give a big, flamboyant shout out to my editor, Shawn Rost-Howen.

SHOUT-OUT!

When Shawn sent me the first editor review of my book, Tears of Heaven she was worried that I would be mad.  I kept insisting that I was actually excited.  After all, I’ve wanted to work with a real, live editor for a real, live publisher for . . . well, ever.  Working with an editor would mean I was getting that much closer to seeing my book in print.

Turns out, we were both wrong.

Depressed.  That’s what I felt when I got the review back from my wonderful, beautiful editor.  On the page, pointed out repeatedly, were the errors that I had made.  I had made them over, and over and over.  All my filler words, all my “style” choices.

The depression wasn’t deep and it didn’t last because, as I told Shawn, I really was thrilled to work with an editor.  I pushed on, and immediately saw that the writing was stronger.  It was work, though.  The worst part of writing is writing.

Today, I sent back the initial revision to Shawn.  I know, without a doubt, that there is more work to be done, but this is another milestone.  This is another first among all the firsts of being a first-time published author.

Hoo-ray!