Books don't edit themselves..write? right? rite?

Here I am, sipping my first cup of coffee.

It's so early, the yard lights are still glowing.Those small decorative torches, bask in the energy of the sun all day and then shed their lovely pattern of pale light upon a sleeping world.

I am envious of the simplicity in this process of being rewarded for passive participation; the lawn ornaments merely have to stand, while the sun does the rest.

I am editing the first draft of "Blood of the Dragon", Book 3 in my "Witch of Appalachia" series. This is why I am so aware of any creative output that smacks of anything but hard work.

Sitting for hours in front of my computer, doesn't exactly fill me with an inner light, that eventually imbues my work with the glow of literary greatness!

Oh, no! I am like every writer whose ever put pen to parchment, or fingers to key boards. Editing is a slog through the swamps of the creative process!

Plot twist can grab at your mental feet, like buried roots, as you run through the story line, racing toward the conclusion.

Characters that seemed well defined, become blurry, fading into the local color which you've painted in breathtaking strokes.

The protagonist is acting like a whiny girl...she's a Wizard for heaven's sake!!

And the list goes on...along with the effort to ruthlessly and dispassionately, tear out all that keeps my book from being a great read.

I'll be on board with my Publisher, Tell-Tale Publishing to do a Book 4 in the coming months and maybe, just maybe, the self-editing won't be so painful with experience. I rather doubt that though.

It is a natural to see our creations in the glow of pride in authorship and workmanship. But I am learning with every push of the delete key, that I grow as a writer because I can let go of pride in hopes a purer light to shine.