Since I’ve had some interest in my novel, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to revisit what I’ve written and make sure it’s as good as it can get. What stunned me–you’d think I’d know by now–is the number of edits I can still make. A first draft is often stuffed with more than you need, like a clothes closet you keep adding to without subtracting anything. Since I’m a quasi-hoarder, I am guilty of putting more in my work than I need. And like any hoarder, I have to return again and again to de-clutter. What’s hard is discarding gems– words, phrases, and sentences that sound wonderful but drag down the pace. But as those who’ve gone before me have said, writing is rewriting.
I am with you there, I can never seem to write something without correcting it five times! Remember you are your own worst critic