don’t strive for perfectionism.
As a writer, one thing I’ve struggled with is knowing when something I’ve written is completely done.
During the drafting and revision phases, I can usually tell when something isn’t working and needs to be revised. And that’s normal during those stages. But I’m at a point where I’ve finished copy edits for my book that’s releasing next year, and there have been several small moments of panic. Because it’s one step closer to being done. Because I’ll soon have to fully let it go. Because it’ll officially be out of my hands.
Soon, this book will be done because publishing deadlines will tell me it’s done.
Which is why I’ve been thinking a lot about perfectionism. As much as we hope we’ve written the perfect book — a perfect story that will resonate with readers in all the right ways — it’s an impossible feat to strive for. Anything I write, anything you write, will never be perfect. We can control who critiques it and follow editorial guidance and take editorial feedback and make changes that we believe are right for the story, and in the end all we can hope we did is our best.
Like publishing, reading is subjective. I’ve seen 1-star reviews on goodreads for my favorite books of all time. And I’ll think, How could someone think so negatively about this story? I loved it. But the truth is 1-star reviews are inescapable. We’re not writing to please everyone. At least, we shouldn’t be. Because we never will. We can only hope our stories resonate with readers who deeply connect with them, and that’s all.
Can I be honest? Other than having one of the most stressful winters of my life post-layoff, then getting/recovering from COVID, the biggest reason I’ve been putting off writing another newsletter for you is because I’m afraid it won’t be good enough.
Which, I realized, is silly.
And this ties back to talking about perfectionism. Because I could take weeks and weeks to try and craft the perfect newsletter that serves everyone, but that would be a huge waste of my time. I can only hope that the topics I choose to discuss resonate with the readers who need it.
So is there really anything worth perfecting in writing?
My process of starting a new book involves nailing the first chapter. I’ll write, reread, tweak, reread, revise, repeat. I do this because it helps me understand not only my main character, but their voice. And once I have a solid — not perfect, but solid — first chapter, I feel ready to tackle the rest.
That may be the closest I come to striving for perfectionism in my writing. And I do it because it helps me finish the manuscript in a consistent way. Everything else? I’m just trying my best.
As writers, we’re constantly learning from craft books or books we read for fun or from media that inspires us. It never stops. And I think that’s one of the ways we continuously improve our craft. We’ll get better and better at the writing part, but is there ever a point where we’ll be the best? For me, at least, it doesn’t feel like it. Because there’s always something else I can learn.
how do I start my story?
One thing I’ve found tremendously helpful throughout my storytelling journey is understanding certain vocabulary and terminology. What’s a theme? What should I understand what a fatal flaw is? What the heck is an inciting incident?
This month’s guide contains key writing vocabulary terms defined in a digestible way, plus a story starter checklist that writer’s can use over and over again when beginning a new story. I hope you find it helpful if you’re having trouble finding a place to start!
Below you’ll find key writing vocabulary terms defined in a digestible way, plus a story starter checklist that writer’s can use over and over again when beginning a new story.
