Not my favorite part of writing but it is a necessary step in writing any book, whatever the subject. Of course, we all like to think that every word that we write is the perfect word the first time we write it. Who needs editing? But the truth is, sometimes we need to dig a little deeper before we find what we are looking for to get the story we want.

I'm currently reading an interesting book (one of several, as usual), "Reading Like a Writer" by Francine Prose. Under her chapter on 'Words' she dissects a paragraph from Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find."

The careful consideration of every word O'Connor used is evident and delivers the best possible paragraph for the reader. Without realizing it, but knowing through reading her stories what a great writer O'Connor was, the stories flow with such ease and deliberation that you find yourself transported to the deep south from which O'Connor, and her stories, sprung.

If something you wrote is awkward to you, just think about your reader and how they may be stumbling through your novel. Therefore, write and rewrite until you get it right!