Revising a long novel is murder. I thought it took a lot of effort to write it, but I wish someone had told me "you ain't seen nothin' yet."
When I wrote "The Seduction" everything came easily -- much more easily than the first 100 pages of either of my full-length novels. I suppose that was partly because I already knew the character of Timu at least, and Elian (though she doesn't come into "The Seduction" directly all that much, she is a driving force in the narrative and in Timu's psychology.)It was fun to develop the young Aulia, give an early glimpse of Paalo and Valmur (who are important to the novel I'm revising right now) and Rilsa was really the entire reason for the story (she's soon to make an appearance in WiP.) The concept and the time frame were both concentrated and intense, and that helped keep me focused. I worked a lot on revision too, but it was all small refinements -- polishing and perfecting. (The version here is literally the first draft -- I fixed a few typos and awkward sentences and added a scene after the whole thing had rested for about a week, but otherwise, I posted what I was writing as I wrote it.) It was a joy to write, and everyone who's read it has given it astonishing praise.
The Novel, on the other hand, was fun to work on, originally -- a grand escape from my regular life, and a lovely dream -- finish this, find an agent, get published, get contracts for future work, financial independence -- and when I got to the end of the plot I was thrilled that I'd done it. But now reality sets in. It's an accomplishment, and it's pretty good -- but it needs beaucoup work before it's going to get published -- if it does. I'm trying to make myself face the idea that True Minds itself -- my firstborn, in a way -- may never get out of my wordprocessor -- or at least not without a massive overhaul. It doesn't need to, necessarily -- I can do WiP, now that I know so much more about how to go about it -- and maybe break up True Minds into novellas and short stories.
I love writing so much, I don't mind the work, and the occasional heartbreak.