10 days and FREAKING!!!

I wanted to be early this year.  I wanted to go to the post office, and mail that baby, and be relieved.  It has to be postmarked in 10 days, and I'm terrified.  Don't get me wrong.  I feel good about the place where I am.  I just have to edit and send.  I just have to edit and send. I just.....you get the idea.

So, I have the best writing friend in the world.  She, of course, will read and comment until her face is blue simply because I asked.  She goads, she prods, she is phenomenal.  Luckily, I have secured three additional readers to help me through the editing process.  One is an avid reader and librarian.  She is in my top three of most well read people I know.  One is a published author in my current genre. 

These three people all have very different perspectives.  My writing friend knows every detail and can help me get the point I want across.  She can catch inconsistencies that would show up later in the novel, even if they don't mess up the 30 page application manuscript.  My librarian friend can tell me what she enjoyed, what she didn't, what she was confused by, and what stood out as a big WOW.  She is my audience, and feedback from the audience is like gold.  The published author friend has an experience I don't know.  She has a knowledge base and a record of success of which I can only dream.  She has insider ideas on how to make my HIGHLY EXPERIMENTAL novel work.

Here's the kicker.  I trust them all - GREATLY.  However, I am hearing completely differing opinions.  Let me begin by saying that I need to cut 14 pages.  Sounds daunting, I know, but considering the fact that I am a MUCH better editor than I am writer, I don't see this as the issue.  The first to respond gave tons of advice on one section and suggested cutting another section completely and sprinkling the information in other places.  The second to respond gave advice on the section the other suggested cutting and suggested cutting the section the first gave tons of advice about.

If the third gives me her opinion now, I might explode.  The good thing out of all of this?  These people are giving me the confidence I need to do this, and really do it right.  This is a good story.  This could be a great story.

I will get this manuscript done.  I will get accepted to Hindman.  I will finish this novel.  I will get to live this dream.