While preparing for a family visit, I was struck by the many ways editing is like cleaning. While I do some editing as I write, there are always dust bunnies hiding between the paragraphs. Wiping down the sentences is fine, but there are times when removing all the knickknacks and bringing out the furniture polish is essential. Those plot points that accumulate until they’ve crystallized? Bring out the lime-away.
Another comparison is how little time it takes to do a thorough cleansing. I agonized about how long it was going to take to make the house presentable for guests for over a week. The cleaning took a day. It’s the same with editing. Groan and moan if you must, but I’ll wager if you set the timer, you’ll discover the editing is over sooner than you could imagine.