Editing: Approaching the Light

Writing a novel is sometimes like walking down a long, dark hallway with a brilliant light at the end of it.

Today I feel empty. While editing this new novel, I took my longest walk to get to the end. I’m not saying the book is profound or important, only that writing it is always both a continuing and unique journey.

I picked up a Ray Bradbury quote a year or two ago that says everything about editing: “You let the story cool off and then, instead of rewriting it, you relive it.”

Revision is...