The Infinite Revision Loop

A writer finished her novel after ten years of work. She sent it to her editor, who returned it with one note: 'Perfect, but could you make the protagonist more relatable?' She rewrote it. 'Perfect, but now less relatable.' She rewrote it again. After fifty revisions, the editor finally admitted: 'I just wanted to see if you'd ever stop. Most writers quit by revision twelve. Congratulations, you've unlocked the secret ending—publication.'