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I just finished reviewing the galley for my little devotional, God's Gifts for the Graduate. It's been a while since I read the manuscript. A couple of things stood out. One is that it is a little better than I remember it being. Two is I was surprised at how many minor things I wanted to change. (Some of them I could, some had to be left as is because it is going to press soon.)

When I finally finished writing that manuscript I was so sick of it I couldn't bear to read it one more time. I hated it. I was sure the editor would send it back and say "rewrite this immediately, it's awful." Stepping away for a while dramatically changed my perspective on it.

Suzanne's challenge from a few weeks ago keeps ringing in my ears, to work ahead of deadlines. I am terrible at this, but I want to get better. I doubt I'll ever turn anything in weeks early, but letting a manuscript sit for a while is one very practical thing a writer can do to improve a piece.

Now I'm going to get to work on my January deadline. Maybe I'll even finish it before the end of the year.