Any writer will tell you writing is about rewriting. You never get it right the first time. That applies to pretty much everything we do. You think George Lucas wrapped up Star Wars after only one take for each scene? Hell naw. Action. Cut. Action. Cut. Scene after scene, take after take, over and over again. Change this, change that. R2D2, wobble this way; C3PO, stand that way; Luke jump here; Han Solo run there. Princess Leia, touch up those two bigass cinnamon roll hairpieces.
And then finally, Star Wars is done! Perfect!
But hold on: Once Georgey compiled all movie footage, you think he kept everything? I say again, hell naw. The grim reapers of cinematography–AKA, the editing team–sliced and diced scenes for the chopping block, never to be viewed by the public. Everybody involved with getting the movie together left their blood, sweat and tears in each scene–only for a few know-it-alls with a little power to say, “we don’t like that scene. Cut it.”
Jacked up, huh? Who do these mofos think they are, dissecting the artist’s masterpiece?
Well…we know how Stars Wars did at the box office. It’s considered one of the greatest movies of all time. Anyone involved with shaving off cinema “baby fat” must’ve known something.
That’s similar to what I’m going through with SELLOUT. It’s another baby of mine. I, of course, the proud “father.” Or maybe “fauthor?” Whatever, the point is, after a professional edit (where I eventually made cuts and changes based on editor comments), I’m still rewriting. Why? Because it’s the TPC way.
The three of us will get behind each of our books, but we obviously must read them before the public does. Steph and Omar became my own editorial team, where they poked, prodded, and plucked away parts of my manuscript like a frog in a Science lab. Deconstructed my characters to the bone, unearthing the how’s and why’s of their psyches. They were more like book character psychiatrists than partners providing substantive feedback.
But no matter how much their comments may have stung, I agreed with most of them, mainly because Steph and Omar could back up why the character should do this or do that. They knew my characters almost better than I did. And what they said made sense.
So back to more revisions, doin’ what I do to spit-shine SELLOUT. All while competing against the clock. Got a deadline and my time is almost up. But it’s all good. The owners of TPC are voracious readers, and I respect my partners’ opinions. If they have good reasons why a character should do such-and-such, I have no problem rewriting, especially if I believe they will make the story better. Going back to the drawing board sucks sometimes, but artists understand it’s necessary to produce a quality product.
Besides, their books are up next. Then it’s my turn to slice and dice. 
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