Well, it’s safe to say that my editor has taken me back to school. Based on his feedback seven of the eight chapters in the new book have been restructured, three have been re-framed with new introductions, and all have been refined, expanded and contracted in some way — a new example here, a bit of pruning there.

This is always the hardest part of the process. Writing seventy thousand words then taking a deep breath and getting busy rewriting them is tough. You’re tired, and you’ve laid a railbed in your mind that must now be ripped up and re-routed, which is intellectually more demanding than putting it down in the first place. It feels like completing a marathon and finding yourself back at the start line.

Yet as hard as it is, this is where any book really becomes the best it can be. It’s also why most self-published efforts seldom match the quality of those that are professionally produced. It’s a bit like hearing a band’s demo tape vs. the final polished recording after studio engineers and producers have done their thing. The difference is night and day.

The key to getting through to the other side is actually very straightforward. I take the energy I'm tempted to put into whining, arguing with the criticism, and fighting the reality of how much room for improvement there is, and channel it directly into the task at hand — the next sentence, paragraph or page that requires attention. A simple solution that works in many work / life situations, now I think about it.

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