On Editing

I finished the first draft of my second novel, Salt, Vinegar, Mustard, Pepper about 6 weeks ago, so it's now time to pull it out from under the bed and start editing.

While I'm in the writing phase, all I crave is to edit - that close attention to words and rhythms, safe in the knowledge that the skeleton of the story is already in place. I love the concentration that editing entails, the quiet, thoughtful precision. It is the moment that I feel the most powerful as a writer, as if I've achie...