Rewriting

Due to all the feedback I have gotten from my first draft readers, (Which again, I can't thank you enough for your input!) I have begun the rewriting process. I have gotten through about three fourths of the book. Rewriting is tricky. It is one thing to add a few clarifying words here and there and to clean up the typos, but it's quite another to rewrite the content. I think to myself, "Oops, the readers don't know that about the character!", or I realize that I really should give the readers a bit more to go on without giving too much away about the plot. When the words just pour out of you in the throes of the first writing, you have a rhythm to the way it comes out, but when you do the rewriting of a scene or perhaps add a scene, it's much more difficult to maintain the  flow of the writing. 

It's sort of a two edged sword -- I want to polish the book as much as I can so it does have a chance of being picked up by an agent and a publishing house --  but I find I need to be careful not to 'screw up' what I already have written. In all my reading about the writing process, the art of rewriting is the least talked about subject. I wonder why that is? Do you suppose it is because the author at this point should know what the book is about and therefore should realize what will make the book more clear or enticing to the reader?  I certainly don't feel that way! I second guess almost every word I add. Taking out words seems to be easier, as I often will read out the words aloud and that helps a great deal to make things clear. Adding a scene is the most difficult for me. As a writer you have to get back into the character's 'skin' and remember where you are at that point in the story. Then you have to decide what new knowledge would help the reader understand the story or character better or what might facilitate the plot more.  Then again over-thinking can be dangerous! That's why after all this rewriting is done, I will again have to put the book aside for awhile and  get some distance from it before I decide if it is ready to be sent off. Stay tuned the journey is still on-going!