I'm not done.

So, as I was procrasti-revising, I came across a tweet from an author (one I really like), expressing she wished the book she was working on was done, good, not sucky already.

And Amen, I feel that!

I am finishing up edits before sending them on to my fantabulous agent once more, to see if she can make mincemeat of that.(Boo-yah! These edits are looking great!) Knowing Becky, she so will and it will make everything better. That's why I'm so, so, so happy she signed me. But oh, oh - to be done. To have the book complete and be able to think about something other than that MC's internal conflict in the final chapter, something other than whether I over-foreshadowed and just spilled the beans way too early in the third chapter, something other than do I really, really, really, really need that repetition of action to establish a character quirk?

I'd love to put it all down. Around me, my husband and friends have been going about their summers. Holding BBQs, picnics, watching Youtube videos outside and whatnot. And I'd love to kick up my feet, grab a tall, cold glass of iced tea and join in the Dr. Who marathon ---

(Oh, who am I kidding? I totally put down the MS for the marathon. 

He's the DOCTOR, you guys - you canNOT miss your chance to share that with a new friend for the first time.)

--- but I have to finish this. Have to be DONE. I crave it - I want it wrapped up, locked and ready to go. But the reality is ... I'm not.

I'm not done. There is still loads more work to do. And then begins the next one and new pleas for *this* MS to be DONE and GOOD and NOT SUCKY.

But here's the thing. It won't be SUCKY. And neither is aforementioned-anonymous-author's WIP. It's just not done yet.

Hey - y'all want some cupcakes?? (And no, I'm not going ADD and wandering away. There's a point in our not so distant future, I promise.)

They're delicious! There's eggs, sugar, flour, more sugar - and easy to remove wraps!

What about these - will you eat these cupcakes? They have all the same things!

What? Why don't you want to eat these? What do you mean they look like a what happens when a kindegardner vomits paste? What does raw egg and salmonella have to do with anything??

Nope - you're not going to eat those. Because they're not done. (and there's many fewer 'cupcake dough I eat-raw' list than cookies. Just saying.)

They've got all the right elements. They're in the right place. Some of the pretty packaging is even ready to go. But they're not done. You have to give your ideas time to ... bake.

They're just like people. The closer to they get to who they're going to be, the more interesting they become. So, for everyone else out there struggling with the whole "this sucks, this sucks, it's never going to work, OMG why can't I ever not dangle my participles!!!" blues, just remember -

You've got the batter. Turn up the heat. Step to the plate.