Editing With Ice Cream

I've been working on the edits for one of my upcoming stories and learned a valuable lesson...sometimes you have to give yourself bribes. Don't feel ashamed, it's okay if you give yourself a bribe in order to finish what you start. Some days it's the only thing that keeps me on target for deadlines.

My own personal favorite bribes are:

Texas Chewie Pecan Pralines. These are the best thing to ever come out of Texas, well...after Matthew McConaughey.  ;-) Both are seriously delicious. 

      Ice cream sundaes, heavy on the strawberry please. I love ice cream. Every time I got dumped, ice cream was there for me. It never turned its back on me, was always faithful, and never failed to make me smile. How can you not love something so creamy, cold, yummy, and always there for you when you need it most?


Fresh picked Georgia peaches. Fun and fuzzy on the outside, sweet and juicy on the inside, peaches are not only delish, but they are also a nutritious bribe. ;-)

What is your favorite bribe?

Edits, edits, and more edits...

I recently had an aspiring author/reader email me to ask how often they should do edits before they call it a day. Sugar, you may have asked the wrong person, because a day without edits is like a day without coffee. Not happening. lol. If I'm not editing my next book, I'm editing my grocery list, or my Facebook page. I am always in some degree of edit mode.

When I'm in the throes of my latest project, I usually start mental editing after the first sentence is written. I have to continually smack my hand to keep typing instead of backspacing, or I'd never finish anything. All this editing doesn't mean my work is error-free, and that's the saddest part of being a writer. No matter how often you proof, your bff critique partner proofs, your beta readers proof, your editor proofs, you will still find something you should have changed after the damn thing goes to print...err...digital ebook. It's like a messed up quantum universal law—probably developed by someone named Murphy.

So whether you're a seasoned pro or a beginner trying to get published, never fear, we all go through the same hell of editing. A good friend (who actually likes editing) suggested I try to keep focused and creatively visualize the end product—a finished book, and the book's release party. It's good advice and has helped me to see the road ahead and that there is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

Eeps, excuse me, looks like I better get back to my wip. My characters are getting antsy for their next scene to get edited. :-p

Until next time...

~ Cass