There are lots of phases and lots of components to the writing process. Some of us arrange them differently, and some of us approach them differently, but one stage almost every writer–if not every writer–goes through is the “If I have to edit this novel one more time I am going to punch a hole through my computer screen” phase.

I usually approach that phase toward the end of a project: after multiple edits, beta reader responses and subsequent edits, and even a proofread or two.

At this point, my story isn’t only “no longer new.” At this point I know the plot so well, and am so familiar with all its ins and outs, that I get bored with it and start to incessantly pick at little thing after little thing. I’ll change some wording and then change in back. That kind of thing.

I’ve written before about the…