It’s because I made plans. I’m really not allowed to do that, and I should know better. Because every time I do, something comes along to mess it up. Okay, not every time but most times. So because I intended to buckle down and bang out a bunch more words on Want, something now requires my focus.
But oh! It’s a good thing!
I’ve started content and structural edits on His Needs, which is on par for a Decemberish release. I both enjoy and dread edits. There’s something about cleaning things up, polishing and refining (with guidance from those whose job it is to know how words work) that I find fund and exciting. Little tweaks here and there to clarify, to really get my meaning across. I also like to revisit my guys, watch them fall in love again. And I really like making the story the best it can be.
But of course there’s dread. Because there is a part of me that doesn’t like being told I didn’t do something well enough. And yes, that’s not exactly what edits are, but it often feels that way. And I dread too, how sometimes an editor’s perception or vision is slightly different from mine, and I need to figure out the best way to tell the story. There are moments where I have to figure out if I need to stand firm on my original choice, tweak it a little, or concede if the editor is right.
It’s a relationship, and there needs to be give and take. I’m fortunate to work with editors who do exactly that. They work with me to make the story the best it can be. And after the horror stories I’ve heard, I know just how lucky I am.
What I really like about edits is that I become a better writer every time. I’m constantly learning about my craft, and I’m always striving to improve. With each new edit I complete, I learn new things, and identify some of my weaknesses, so the next story I write is better than the one before.
So I’m focused on edits right now, and will be for the better part of the next week. But after they are done, I’ll be returning my attention to Want. Alex and Spencer are waiting not so patiently for me to get back to telling their story.
Kris T. Bethke--Author of M/M Romance 