Cleaning Up? What it Takes

I suppose you are cleaning up Christmas, without taking down the tree, I hope.

I always wait until after New Years to do that feat; a task I don't look forward to.

Photo by: steve p2008, courtesy of Flickr

Cleaning up is never fun, especially when the glow of my tree is replaced by a vacant spot.

When it comes to writing and editing, cleaning up is a bit like that. Your story is all aglow--perfect if you will, and then comes the editing day. The good news is that if you let your work sit a bit after it's written, sort of like a beautiful tree standing in a corner for at least a month, you'll be better able to see the defects.

Yes, you will have them.

And no, you will not like to see them.

But cleaning up is as important as the glow of your manuscript. Perhaps even more so, when you consider what a little polishing will do.

So, don't be afraid to take down your tree when the time comes. It will be up again next year. And don't be afraid to read through your manuscript a few more times. In your mind's eye, the glow will still be there.

I promise.