Edits

I love working with Sangeeta. She is thoughtful, meticulous and spot-on. I was fortunate to have great editors when at Little, Brown, beginning with Sangeeta, who pulled me out of the slush pile. I remind myself of this when I’m on the edge of the first big round of edits. When it feels overwhelming. When that little voice inside me whines, What? It’s not good enough as is? Of course it’s not. I know that going in but my comfort zone is free-flow writing with my internal editor on low. So I bribe myself with potato chips, pretend I’m going to eat something healthy as well, and keep a quick bar handy in case I find that sweet spot—an hours-long streak of rewriting fired by new inspiration.