Rewrite hell

In between giving English classes (don't get me started), subtitling (no, really) and the usual freelance hoo-haa of my life (you'll regret it), this:

There's an article I wrote that I have been dealing with for more than two months now. I interested an editor in it, but then didn't hear from her for a while. The other day, I talked to her and she said she was still interested in it. Very much so. But she didn't like the opening. Or the closing. And everything in between had to be rewritten.

This is the point where I could have used my stature in the blogosphere to wow her, but I'd like to think I'm a little more diplomatic than that. She needs to believe that she has some power here and I'm not quite ready to go to that place where I tell her: "Oh, really? Well, if it's not good enough for your newspaper, maybe I'll just post it on my blog and see what my reader thinks!"

So I have been tasked with rewriting my article from top to bottom. Normally my reaction would be just to giggle at the word "bottom," but I can assure you I am not not giggling about this. And the stress is starting to show on my face. Earlier today I sat (sideways) for a portrait:

:-|

I think she really nailed the hair.

But I digress. This rewrite is really hard. And I am stuck. Stucker than ... an electrified stucking machine. I know that seems hard to believe.

Today I awoke with a new strategy: Write the article as though I were writing an email to a friend, and then of course go back later and strip out all the LOLs and references to Elton John.

Wait. OMG. There's an Elton John song called "Writing." LOL.