Edit Brain

You know you've been working on edits to the exclusion of everything else when you find yourself editing everything.

- books you're trying to read for pleasure
- the ticker on the bottom of the news channels
- the newspaper
- your thoughts
- the things your friends and family are saying
- other people's Facebook posts, blogs, tweets, etc.
- websites you're visiting

I've entered and deleted numerous sentences and paragraphs just* trying to write this blog post.  And I don't usually worry too much about editing blog posts.  Is this right?  Is that right?  Could it be clearer?  What if I worded it that way?  No, that way was wrong, go back to the other way.  Blerg.

This, of course, is known as edit brain.  For those of you who might not be writers, it's a malady we get when we're editing.  Bear with us.  And yes, I will be mentally editing your comments.  I can't help it.  Don't worry, though, I won't say anything out loud about it.  I'm trapped in edit brain, but I'm not rude.  Geez.

Although, to be honest, sometimes when I'm cursed with edit brain, I do say things without thinking about them.  Which is only a problem for people I may be conversing with.  Lucky you, you're only reading my thoughts, not hearing them in person.  (Lucky me, Hubs is used to it.)

On a positive note, I should be done with this edit pass today.  On the other hand, I'll start the next edit pass tomorrow.  Once this goes out to the proofers, I'll chill out.  Maybe.  You never know with edit brain.  Sometimes it lingers.

*When editing, words like JUST stand out like a big, ol', red splotch on the tip of my nose.