. . . the second lot of revisions that is.

Yes, the next deadline is looming for me to complete the next lot of revisions for ‘For All Our Sins’, and whilst I admit there is an amount of pressure, in a way I’m actually enjoying it!

Yes, you read that right – ENJOYING it. I know all this extra hard work will pay off. It will make the novel even stronger than it now stands and the deadline that comes with this is completely worth it.

When you go it alone and self-publish, you only have yourself to answer to. If life gets in the way and you are pulled away from your writing, it’s OK. The only deadlines you have (if any) are the ones you impose on yourself.

Now that I’m back in a position where someone else has given me a deadline, things do not always run so smoothly. It’s the summer holidays and that means there are far more distractions than there normally would be. My five year old is at home and can’t simply be dumped in front of the TV so I can write, my husband is at home this week, and I have a holiday coming up. All of these things can make you just want to pull your hair out when you think about that deadline coming up and trying to juggle everything at once.

In truth, I’ve had a few moments where I’ve had that sick feeling that I might not be able to deliver. That’s life though. It doesn’t stop just because you have deadlines to meet, so just ‘get on with it’.

So that’s what I’m doing and I’ve found once I’m into the revisions, I’m enjoying them.

It’s amazing what a second fresh pair of eyes can do for your manuscript. As an author you need to be open to other people’s suggestions. Even the best sellers have their work edited and revised many times before it goes to print and having someone who is not so close to your novel give their expertise is fantastic. It can breathe new life into your story and help smooth out anything that wasn’t working and tie up any loose ends you might not have spotted.

My editor has come up with some great suggestions to improve ‘For All Our Sins’, and I’ve even had a few ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ moments. Having someone invest so much time in your novel also gives you a boost of confidence. There is a team behind your book who want to see it do well. In this super competitive market, you need that support and enthusiasm.

Even if you self-publish, I’d recommend hiring a professional to help mould your novel into the best possible shape it can be before it goes on sale. Don’t be to precious about your manuscript. None of us write the perfect novel. We are always learning and honing our skills as authors.

Despite it being a rocky road sometimes, I think this has to be one of the best jobs in the world. 😀