I FINALLY FINISHED MY RED PEN EDITS!!! Actually, this happened a couple days ago, but I think it’s finally sinking in now.
As I sit here, looking at the pile of printed pages with red ink scrawled in my nearly illegible handwriting, I’m getting a bit of anxiety.
“So,” you say, rolling your eyes at the screen. “What else is new?”
Well…nothing, really. Just another stage of the fear-inducing process of writing! I am now about to start re-typing the entire novel into a new document in hopes that it will come out with better flow, more clarity, and closer to 100,000 words.
My self-disdain and fear of failure are in rare form, using my many frustrations against me and making it hard to focus.
The Red Pen isn’t all bad, though. At the very least, it has specific wording or errors to change, and reminds me of notes for what needs to be created or removed. Since I’m feeling overwhelmed by the amount that needs to be done, I think I’ll focus on one chapter at a time. One chapter, then a break. The break needs to be timed, not last several days like my last “break” did.
So, what stage are you at, and how are you dealing with any anxiety?
The Introvert Author 
Think of that red ink as a blood transfusion for your story that’ll make it better in the end. That’s a good plan to take breaks. Keep going, you’re doing great!
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