When It is Time to Rewrite: 4 Steps to Improve Your Manuscript

My fourth novel, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, is due to my editor on August 1. Yes, I am aware that is a mere 29 days away. No, I am not counting hours or minutes — yet.

With my fast draft in hand … well, spread all over my desk and sometimes all over the coffee table in the family room … I am ready for rewrites.

Yes, yes, I am.

First things first: there are certain things I don’t do when I am this close to deadline and deep into rewriting.

I do not clean my house.
I do not cook.
Hmmm. Reality is, I don’t clean my house or cook that much when I’m off deadline. I’m just being honest here. When I’m off deadline, I’m plotting a new novel or I’m dealing with second round edits or galleys . . . or something! I’m thankful my husband loves me.

Persevering Along the Writing Road

No one likes rejection.

And yet, if you’re a writer, you’re going to be rejected. Let’s face it, if you’re breathing, you’re going to be rejected.

There are times when this journey along the writing road seems to be nothing more than s-t-r-i-v-i-n-g. I’ll spend an entire day — or a succession of days — trying this and that and the other thing, hoping to ensure success. Trying to figure out how to get around the “Do Not Enter” sign blocking my way.

Do That One Thing!

I’ve been buried under an avalanche of frustration due to a software conversion. Have you ever been through one of those? During the first week of the conversion, the phone rang off the hook with questions and snags between the old software and the new.

I know having a sprinkling of gray hair is considered elegant, but I think I grew a whole new patch of gray hair in the last three months. (Seriously, ask my friends).

When we started this conversion I knew it was going to be difficult and I thought I planned accordingly. But I didn’t. Before I knew it, all of my writing time was lost because of the unforeseen problems that developed.

One day in the midst of pulling out my hair – a wise friend asked me.

“What is the one thing you can do to reach towards your dream today? What’s the one thing you can do in order to have forward motion?”

I looked at her at like she was crazy. Certifiable.

“Um, write?”

“Good, then go do