If Only I Could Grow This

Behold, the playoff beard.

The principle is simple: once your team is in the playoffs you stop shaving and you don’t shave again until they win the Stanley Cup.

Behold, the revisions ponytail.

I got my first set of revisions from my editor last week (yay!), and I decided this would be the hairstyle that would see me through to the end.  I do wash it occasionally, but then it’s back to the ponytail.  To be clear, this is in no way necessary.  I have time to do my hair.  And it's not like the revisions are so traumatic that I'm too distraught to hold a blow dryer.  Just like I’m not too distracted to make a real meal, but my family has been eating scrambled eggs and cereal for dinner for a few days now.  I'm just making it special. 

The editing itself has been fun, and no, I'm not even lying.  My editor’s suggestions are incredible so far, pretty much exactly what the manuscript needs.  Plus, it’s been a long time since I’ve looked at VIRTUOSITY so re-reading it has got me excited all over again about seeing it published. 

Oddly enough though, doing revisions has made me stress over my work-in-progress.  I guess seeing VIRTUOSITY get cleaner and tighter makes me notice how rough the first draft of my wip is.  I just have to remind myself how much rewriting and editing went into getting the first one up to where it is now.  First drafts are hard.  After that, I can rewrite and edit with a smile on my face, but getting that first draft down is almost physically painful.

I’m not sure how long the revisions will take.  Around here, people are hoping not too long because the gym teacher hair is getting old.  And I don't want my kids to get scurvy.  But, as I explained to my husband (a former hockey player), no self-respecting athlete would shave his playoff beard just because it started to smell funky.  Therefore, I will persevere.