After doing your best writing and when you love your story and wouldn't change a thing, tuck your manuscript up in a closet and don't look at it for two months. Start another project, read lots of books in your genre, attend writing classes. Grow professionally while your baby sleeps. Then, reread the entire manuscript and make changes that improve it. Do you need to add more conflict? More description? Cut unneeded scenes? Once you've stepped back, you'll be ready to move forward with an editor to polish a story people will love to read.
