A Writing Rut

I'm in a rut.  A writing rut.  I'm finished with the beginning to end of a story and I'm ready to re-read and polish.  The problem is I can see lots of things wrong with it already.  In a way, this is good.  Right?  (Please say yes.)  If I can pick out what's not good about my own writing that means I'm getting better, wiser.

I hope this is the case because it's really frustrating.  It's frustrating to toil on something for months and then see so many things wrong with it.

A lot of people have said to me they can't believe I wrote a 70,000 word novel.  These same people say they would never be able to stick with something that long.  They talk about how difficult it would be.  For me, writing the first draft is easy (in a sense).  I'm telling my story.  I'm excited to get all the ideas in my head out.  It carries a certain thrill with it.  It's the next part I struggle with.  Making it better, critiquing myself, and somehow not feeling overwhelmed or defeated in the process.

As I wrote in one of my most recent entries, I suck at this part.  I need to get through this.  I need to be dedicated.  I need to finish, damn it!

Okay, I feel better already.  Time to tackle the first chapter.