I've discovered that editing my book can be fun. Really, it can be. It's like watching a picture appear as you hack away at all the excess debris.

See, I just sit down and write a chapter. The dialogue is just the core. Descriptions that accompany the dialogue is almost non existence. Descriptions of setting is only there if it is vital. I'm just getting down the gist of things and the plot.

I keep going to the next chapter. I only go back if something vital comes up that I need to note and then I go to the first of the chapter and type in (Note - change location to porch instead of living room). I go until I'm done with it all.

Then I go back and just work on one chapter at a time. I make changes on the plot and direction if needed and add descriptions and dialogue where needed.

When I've gone through the chapters, I start all over again. This time I read out loud and pretend to be characters to see if I'm really wording it the way they would talk.

Then I might hand it over to my editor. After she goes through it, I go through it again. She does ones last look and then hopefully, we're done.

I watch it develop from a weak draft to something more substantial and alive. I can't help but smile when someone who has read every draft comments on how much more mature and full it becomes. When they experience the feelings I want to invoke, I jump for joy.

Look at editing your own work as fun and not a chore. You're a creator of something special.