Some of you have been waiting to hear me say this: my manuscript is strong. In reviewing it today (reading it out loud, spreading it out, making revisions), I realize I believe in it more than I thought I did.

While there are a few minor changes in progress — what’s included and in what order — and some edits to individual poems (the need for which has surfaced as I’ve been recording them and listening to them), I’m confident it’s a manuscript that should be published.

As I prepare to send it out into the world to a new group of editors and readers, I feel really good about it.

The process as it looks today is shown in these photos (if it looks familiar, it’s because I spread it out just like this last spring, though I can’t seem to find the link).

You’ll notice how this time, instead of having help from the cats, I have one of the dogs in the act. I promise to send the manuscript out Friday or Monday and not make the excuse “my dog ate it,” if you promise not to tell me to bag the whole thing because “it’s gone to the dogs.”

I plan to spend a couple more hours with it tonight, doing more tweaking. Tomorrow, when I’m not eating, I’m going to be working on the electronic file, getting it to match those pesky submission guidelines and printing. That way, when Friday gets here I won’t argue that it’s not ready or when Monday gets here I won’t say I’m too tired.

So! Here we go again! I’ve learned from the last couple of times that sending it out is anti-climactic. It begins a waiting game. But let’s face it: I’m waiting anyway, waiting for this vision to materialize. I may as well have some seeds out there.