I’m editing a manuscript right now. This process is always nerve-wracking for me because it means going over everything that I’ve written and making changes. This is a part of the process that brings out all of my insecurities and I question EVERYTHING.
This is a normal part of being a writer. I know that and so I power through. I power through, wi all of my doubts and insecurities plaguing me until I reach the end. And, suddenly, the process seems worth it.
With this manuscript, as I edited, and worried, and banged my head against a table, I read a couple of blog posts written by fellow writers that discussed insecurities as a writer.
After all of this, I received an e-mail from a friend who read the first few chapters with her critique. And let me tell you, it was exactly what I needed. She outlined the strengths and weaknesses of my manuscript, giving me specific points to work on. But her critique was also very encouraging. She told me exactly what I needed to hear to shake off my doubts and start working. And so I did.
Of course, the next day, when I opened that Word document and started to work on editing again, they all came rushing back. Now, I’ve returned to powering through.
