Novel tied up in velvet ribbon

*image via Confetti System

I feel hugely gleeful to say that it happened this weekend... I finished editing my novel! The moment was a little anti-climactic. A Sunday night. I followed this pivotal moment by making a grilled cheese and looking for something to watch on Netflix.

But if I could throw a party complete with decor by Confetti System and chocolate chip cookies filled with pastel frosting from Babycakes.

Everyone would come dressed in colors from the movie Marie Antoinette. For party favors I would give out copies of my book, tied with velvet ribbons.

And I suppose I could throw such a party. But I am feeling low-key like it's just a relief it's over. I lost my editing steam in the first trimester, but I've trudged through, page by page and it feels good to be at the last.

But is it really the last? That's what torments me. Because I don't have a lot of psychic energy right now to get my novel published, and I know that's what I need to face querying. LOTS of energy and drive and determination. And right now I am thinking about Paris and baby booties and Thanksgiving and Christmas and nesting.

The other thing that's bothering me is that I'm still not sure querying is the next step. I've considered submitting it to a professional editor to work on. But I'm afraid, afraid of some dramatic scene where they tell me it's just no bloody good and I curl into a corner and eat the chocolate chip cookie sandwiches all by my lonesome and then have some kind of Jo March book burn-off.

So for now I will wait until my gut tells me what to do. When I am ready, I will know it.