Rewrites...

I am in the midst of heavy rewrites for submission. It's stressful stuff, and instills a load of self-doubt, but it is absolutely worth the time and effort. When writing the first draft, everything flows and splatters upon the page. Deliberation is an impediment and leads only to nitpicking. Thus you vomit upon the page each word no matter how malformed or ill-suited.
And then you read it. I pick up my drafts after a considerable wait and often say, "What the hell is this?"
Thus we rewrite. The original is buried and left to rot as the compost for the new version. It is much slower, more calculated than the first draft. The blighted garden of draft one stands as a frame, new seeds are planted, and with any luck the fruits will swell.  Usually it needs another go, but there is always progress.
And so, I get back to it. I want this story to bloom and swell. Be well, and thank you for being readers!