There's more to writing than just...writing

Mixed feelings assault me whenever people ask me about my book. Usually they inquire, "When will you finish your book?" What baffles the casual conversationalist is my response of, "I finished it in December." They fail to understand, as did I when I first began this endeavour of publishing a book (mostly so I could stay home in my pajamas without a bra all day and call it work), is that there is more to writing than, well, writing. Putting the story into a word processor is only one stage of a seemingly endless process.
Speaking from the stage of revision number seven, I can't honestly say when my book will be done. I realize my strength comes with revisions. My first draft is more of a detailed outline thrown together haphazardly, knowing that I will revise it and I can work out the problems later. Essentially, my point in writing this post is to say that I have discovered my style as a writer. My first draft is to get my story out of my brain and into the computer. If I pause to pick the perfect phrase or rework a sequence for too long, I forget the small details I wanted to add to the plot as a whole. Over and over, I have to remind myself to "just get it out there" and then I can fix it all later. This is the best solution to my writer's block. I get too involved in the language rather than getting the story out before I lose my train of thought.
This system of write first, edit and revise later, has also saved me from becoming disheartened about my writing. During my editing process, I've written new scenes to tighten up existing ideas and fill plot holes. These new scenes are first drafts. If I try to write them well like the rest of the revised section, I grow discouraged and think I'm kidding myself with aspirations of becoming an author. Again, I remind myself to get it out there and then work with it. There needs to be something written in order to revise. So stick with it, get your story out there, and then you can worry about the details that comprise a polished manuscript. Hopefully it won't take you seven revisions like it has taken me...so far...