that time revising really worked

So I've been working on my revisions for a while now. When I sat down to make the initial revisions, I was like "Oh, this won't take me long at all. I know exactly what needs to change." And the laugh that echoed 'round the world chuckled with great ferocity. Because I got about halfway through my super quick and easy revisions when I read an agency blog saying they were really sick of seeing exactly what I was writing. EPIC FAIL.

So I started looking at things through a crystal colored glass. I had an agent ask me for an R&R. She loved the main concept of my book and I thought "how in the world can I cut out the immortal creatures in my book to make the story work?" Long story short, I didn't have to cut them at all. All they needed was a makeover. Like a major, you were once a vampire, now you're a werewolf sort of makeover. DISCLAIMER: This book contains no vampires OR werewolves, but since I created my own immortal creatures, I'm being a super-secretive pain in the butt about revealing what they actually are.

So (and I realize that I literally start every paragraph with that, so just bear with me) I gave my immortal creatures a makeover. And I was terrified at first, because I was making my own mythology and brand of immortals. And I wasn't sure it was going to work. And I spent hours drawing how everything connects in my writing notebooks. And I MEAN HOURS. Like, lots of them. But last night, when I was in the shower (because I do my best thinking there - or in bed), the puzzle I had drawn myself started to fit together. A few misshapen pieces started molding to exactly what I needed them to be.

The circle of life that I created can finally close because there are no more loose ends or plot holes (at least I hope. My CPs will be the judge of that next week).

There was a time when I LITERALLY could not make a single change to my MS. In all honesty, I thought it was completely perfect, that not a single word needed to be deleted, not a scene taken away or added. But man, what a difference a little time makes. I've already cut over 20,000 words and IT FEELS SO FREAKING GOOD. I've actually cut more but since I've added some as well, 20k was my closest guess.

And everything about the revisions on this book make it a million times more unique than it ever was in the first place. And believe me, I thought it was SUPER unique to begin with. But now, it's evolved from an egg to a dragon that breathes blue fire (yes blue, because it's way cooler than red). BLUE FIRE. My MS breathes fire, because it's THAT much better that it was a year ago when I finished it.

So now, as I'm closing in on the last few chapters (and it's surreal getting this close), I feel such comfort and relief knowing all the pieces fit. All those hours I spent plotting out a rewrite of a book I'd already written will (hopefully) pay off. I've felt pretty confident about every book I've written, but my confidence in this book far outweighs any confidence I felt for previous MSs. And while I hope and pray that the agent that asked for an R&R and other agents will love it, my belief in this book is really the most important thing.