It\u2019s Easter! Happy Resurrection Sunday!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I was a kid, they used to play this song on the radio called \u201cThe Second Time Around\u201d by this group called Shalamar. I have no idea what that song is about, I just know the chorus where the lyrics are the song\u2019s title. Now that I\u2019ve reembarked on editing my short story that I wrote decades ago, that song came to mind. The only difference is, instead of this being my second time around, it\u2019s more like the 22nd<\/sup> time I\u2019ve attempted to edit my short story so that I can turn it into a self-published novella.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This weekend I started editing it again. I\u2019m on page 11, so that\u2019s where I\u2019ll pick up from tomorrow. The last time I attempted to edit it I was highly critical of myself and really overwhelmed with feelings that the story wasn\u2019t good. This time, it\u2019s the total opposite. I\u2019m back to thinking the story is really good again. This time I\u2019m just editing for spelling, grammar, and continuity\u2026at least to the best I can, because it\u2019s hard to edit yourself. Though I must say, it\u2019s a bit easier now that I\u2019m so many years removed from when I first wrote this thing, or even the last time I read it. I think the last time I read it was maybe five years ago or so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This time around, I\u2019m coming up with a plan to complete the editing. I\u2019m giving myself two weeks to finish the editing. That means it needs to be done by April 23rd<\/sup>.<\/strong> In the meantime, I\u2019m also going to be looking for an editor. That\u2019s right, I\u2019m going to hire an editor.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have to budget effectively to afford it, but I don\u2019t think the costs will be too astronomical\u2026at least I\u2019m hoping it won\u2019t be.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n From what I\u2018ve read, an editor is crucial. If famous writers have them, so can I. I mean, I\u2019d like to think that I don\u2019t need an editor, that I can do it on my own, but I think having someone else also give it a once-over will be helpful. It never hurts to get a second pair of eyes. The trick is to get the right second pair of eyes. A second pair of eyes that will make a difference. Just a good editor. So that\u2019s going to be the hard part. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To quote Whitney Houston \u201cHow will I know?\u201d I mean, do I ask them to see their work? And if I do, what does that entail? Am I supposed to read an unedited book and then read the edited version? Perhaps they\u2019ll have an excerpt with before and after editing. But would an excerpt be enough? These are the things that go through my mind regarding hiring an editor \u2013 not even just how much it\u2019s going to cost me, but the quality of the work. So yeah, I don\u2019t know if two weeks\u2019 time is enough, but I\u2019m trying to set aggressive goals just to challenge myself, and I don\u2019t even know if that\u2019s a smart thing to do, but the only way to find out is to try it out and see. Because sometimes I can lowball myself, so this two-week goal is a way to see if I\u2019ve been lowballing myself in terms of what I can get done in a short period of time, or if I\u2019ll need to give myself an extension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m excited to start editing this story again. I was reading it earlier today and I got so wrapped up in it, I didn\u2019t want to stop. I\u2019m trying my best to really stay true to the story that I wrote all those years ago, true to the style of writing that I did back then that may be a little different from how I write now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m happy I haven\u2019t given up on this story, no matter how old it is. So many things for the past, should stay in the past, but some things are worth revisiting\u2026time and time again if you have to \u2013 until you get it<\/p>\n\n\n\n right.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s Easter! Happy Resurrection Sunday! When I was a kid, they used to play this song on the radio called \u201cThe Second Time Around\u201d by this group called Shalamar. I have no idea what that song is about, I just…<\/p>\n