I discovered something surprising while revising my book: the gems were already there. Buried under nearly 79,000 words, they waited for space, attention, and clarity to shine through.
The second edit of my book was a triumph, and I need to share it because it feels like a milestone worth celebrating.
My editor, Holly, wrote me the most encouraging note I’ve received in a long time.
She said:
“I really admire what you’ve done here. I gave you very candid feedback about all the ways your manuscript was unsuccessful. I recommended solutions, one easy and one difficult, and you not only chose the more difficult solution, you ran with it and wrote a really successful, thoughtful book. This book is really good. I just cycled through my margin comments, and the overwhelming majority of them are simply praise—because the book is simply excellent. Overall, your writing is clear, your analysis is nuanced, your advice is sound. This book will help people.”
Reading this made me pause—and feel a little proud. It also reminded me of the power of persistence. I chose the harder path, the one that required digging deeper, questioning myself, and trusting my instincts. And it worked. Holly’s feedback affirmed that the book isn’t just readable—it’s meaningful, helpful, and thoughtful.
What excites me most is thinking about the readers who will open these pages. The book serves as a space for reflection, insight, and connection. It explores love, intimacy, breakups, and emotional growth, while also offering guidance and encouragement. It’s designed to meet people where they are, help them pause, reflect, and perhaps see their own experiences in a new light.
Actually, most of the strongest parts of the book Holly commented on were already in my first draft, but hidden within nearly 79,000 words. The editing process didn’t just polish the writing; it revealed it. Trimming, refining, and simplifying let the heart of the book shine. Less really is more.
This has taught me a lesson: Sometimes the best parts of your work are already there, quietly waiting. They just need space, attention, and clarity to emerge. That’s true for writing, and I believe, for life as well.
Just as a manuscript can hide its best ideas beneath pages of clutter, our lives can hide our greatest strengths, insights, and joys beneath layers of fear, doubt, and noise. We rush, overthink, and cling to old stories about who we are or what we should do. In doing so, we bury the gems that have been there all along.
Life, like writing, sometimes needs a bit of editing too. It asks us to pause, step back, and focus on what truly matters. To remove the unnecessary clutter, self-criticism, fear, and the “shoulds” that don’t serve us, making room for the parts of ourselves that matter most—our curiosity, our courage, our capacity to love and grow.
And to achieve that, it might mean taking the more difficult path because it requires courage to face the clutter. Whether in writing or in life, only by confronting the challenge and clearing away what hides the core can brilliance emerge. The process is seldom easy, but when we put in the hard work, the rewards are deeply meaningful.
I’m proud of this milestone, and I hope it inspires others to remember that sometimes the most powerful discoveries are already within us.
Reflection for You
- Which areas of your life feel cluttered or noisy right now?
- If you “edited” those distractions out of the way, what hidden gems might you find again?
- What would it look like to refine your daily thoughts, habits, or priorities so that the brilliance already inside you can shine through?
Please feel free to comment below or send a private message. I’d love to hear from you.
I can’t wait to share the book with you all soon. This milestone feels like more than just finishing an edit—it feels like the beginning of something bigger: a conversation, a connection, a shared journey.
