I'm getting close to finishing this revision. By my count, I have seven scenes left to write, all of them chronological to get to the end (save one, which I've realized needs to be inserted somewhere in the first 25 percent or so). Today I wasn't able to write, but I spent my downtime at the day job reflecting on scenes and trying to figure out if there is more I can condense, etc. I came up with a few ideas that might work well. Then again, maybe the way I already have it is better than what I'm coming up with right now. I don't know! I mean, everything in the story is there for a good and important (to me) reason. Maybe readers would appreciate me leaving it in.
So, what I'm trying to decide is this: when I finish the seven scenes (which WILL be happening in the month of January!), should I send it off to the people who have offered to critique for me and see if they happen to mention any of the things I've been pondering? Or should I try to make all the decisions on my own and revise accordingly before sending it to them?
I guess what I'm afraid of is that if I don't let this manuscript go soon, I'll just keep finding and fixing things that might not really need to be fixed. But I'm also afraid that letting people read a version that is too bloated will make my work look... not as great as it should.
I guess I'm just plain afraid right now.