Writing...more specifically editing...woes

I will show my inexperience here and tell you that I thought writing a book would be easy. And yes, the story that was in my head hit the computer screen in a fair amount of time considering all the other stuff I have going on. However, now that "The End" has been written, I find the critiquing/editing to be time consuming and overwhelming.

I read through the first few chapters and think, "This is pretty good." Tomorrow I will read through the same pages and realize that I missed something or there is a word in the wrong place or I'm telling instead of showing. I'm a perfectionist and I want to do it right.

But what is right? I have a number of people critiquing my work and each one has a different opinion. Which one is correct? It's overwhelming for this novice writer.

I want my work to be ready by September, when I go to the ACFW conference, but I've only managed to send the first three chapters to my critiquers. They're busy people too.

Then there are themes and plots and POV (point of view) and developing characters and describing scenes through the eyes of those characters. There are rules about what should go in the book and what should not - depending on what publisher you are trying to impress.

I want my book to be for the glory of God and my perfectionism (not God, btw) puts a lot of pressure on me to get it right. But again, what is right?

Ugghhh! I would appreciate your prayers. This coming week I have decided will be my school planning week. We will be starting again in early August. I have to know what we're going to do. I also need to work through my book with or without my critique partners. I know there are changes that need to be made and I'm the one who has to make them.

As always...

Under HIS Wings,
Ginger