That odd feeling you get when finishing a project

As I complete my final galley edits for Caution to the Wind, it occurs to me how much of writing involves an odd blend of impulses. It's kind of like being hot and cold at the same time.

Caution to the Wind

On the one hand, there's a sense of urgency. You want to complete the project as quickly as possible. In some cases you need to complete the project. After all, for as much as your novel may be a hobby for you, if you're working with a publisher, it's a business for them. (Plus, I don't think I've met a writer who didn't, at least secretly, hope to turn their avocation into a vocation.)

On the other hand, there's the need for patience. If you're not sick of your own work by the time it's published, you may not have read through it as many times as you should have. That goes for those who publish through traditional routes as well as the self-published. Even the best copy editors don't know your story as well as you do and can easily get caught up in reading instead of proofing. Plus, they have a schedule to keep and lots of other work to do. I'm sure I've read Caution to the Wind at least 30 times and my proofreader has read it at least 10.

As I write, whether it's the final edits or a new project, business writing or fiction, I find these two impulses warring inside me constantly.

MJ