How to Handle Your Editing Hangover

So I spent the past couple of days working on the first round of edits for BLOOD WITCH. It was a relatively smooth process - I added in a couple of scenes, tightened up some sloppy prose, and generally polished up the manuscript. In the next couple of days I should know if there'll be a second round. For all that it was a pretty stress-free process, I feel strangely exhausted and hungover today. Moody, listless, and blah. I always feel like this after finishing either a first draft or an editing session, though - I think it's probably similar to an adrenaline dump, but of the mind rather than the body. Before I open the manuscript to check the required edits, my mind is all geared up and ready for battle. Ready to defend my deathless prose to the...death, I suppose. Ready to argue and fight over the placement of a comma or whether or not this witty piece of dialogue is really necessary. Or ready to accept that my story is awful and I'm awful and everything is awful and what was I thinking? Because I always expect editing to be a battle between me and the editor.

And it never is. My editors are always lovely and they get my work and their suggestions are always helpful. So then all this mental energy I've amassed in order to deal with the Epic Battle of Wills I'm subconsciously convinced is coming...It has nowhere to go. I power through the edits and then I'm left with a surplus of energy and nothing to do with it, and generally the people around me assume I've slumped into a terrible depression.

But today I was prepared! Knowing I'd be kinda crappy and at a loss today, I made myself do some stuff. Kyle and I went into town for a bit of light Ingressing this morning, then I stopped off for fancy chocolate and came home alone for a little "me time," which has largely consisted of watching Destination Truth and eating said chocolate whilst drinking fancy tea. Because I am nothing if not fancy.

Artist's rendition of Naomi in relaxation mode

I've also been working on my Master Plan to buy a tarantula (which is totally Ally of Word Vagabond's fault). My plan is not particularly complex, as it mostly consists of "buy tarantula, enjoy tarantula ownership," but we're waiting for a couple of other things to happen before we actually buy one, so in the mean time I'm researching Mexican red knees and their care, and making short lists of possible tarantula names, because I know what matters when it comes to buying an exotic pet (and since Kyle named the snakes, I intend to name the spider. It's my turn).

This. This is what my house is missing.

With the edits temporarily on hold and my moodiness mostly under control, I'll give myself the rest of today off and get back to writing tomorrow. I'm planning to finish an Amber Morgan project, which should be done this week, and then turn my attention to a new Ethan Banning short story. Hopefully, if there are no more edits for BLOOD WITCH, I can start thinking about release dates, cover art, and promo...by which time I may well own that tarantula.