The Editing Process and the Fear of Falling at the Final Hurdle

What fresh hell awaits me now?

Getting over the final editing hurdle is, for me, proving to be the biggest challenge I have faced to date in the whole novel writing process.

Up until now, writing the synopsis had proved to be the greatest challenge I needed to overcome but, in hindsight, it had been in my head all along, just elusive.

To be an editor you need to be disciplined, a skill I am having to knuckle down and cultivate, as well as being ruthless.

I just want to wake up one morning to find out that it has been done and I can send it away for a professional edit.  A time when I can let my hair down for a while and enjoy writing freefall once again until I get the manuscript back and have to start the process all over again.

It does make me wonder though, how many first-time novelists fall at the final editing hurdle?

“Edit your manuscript until your fingers bleed and you have memorized every last word. Then, when you are certain you are on the verge of insanity... edit one more time!”
C.K. Webb