Edit, Edit, Edit

I’ve received feedback from several beta readers on three of my manuscripts and some key advice from a literary agent who rejected my first novel. They all encourage me to edit, edit, edit.
 
Ouch! Seems that I’ve been working on those four manuscripts f-o-r-e-v-e-r. And now I need to go back and edit again? Mind you, the advice is sound. Adding romance (per the literary agent) will allow the series to enter the romance genre listings as well. And face it, romance sells. The beta readers caught some glaring potholes that I completely overlooked and raised questions on pacing. That is the value of having strangers read your work before publishing. Once you put it out there (self-publish or traditional), you can’t take it back for a do over. Best to sharpen the pencil and wear out the eraser now when changes can boost the readability of the stories.
 
I admit that being told to rewrite/edit once again is off-putting. What started as a lark to fill my evenings has turned into a ten-year project with no end in sight. Frustrating but still the only thing I truly enjoy doing. Time to plant my foot firmly on the backside and get to it!