Writer Yes, Perfectionist No
Today, I am going to take a look at the very real risk many writers face of falling into the trap of perfectionism. It i something I’m familiar with myself and I know just how damaging it can be.
It might seem odd to think that striving for perfection is in anyway wrong, after all, aren’t all writers trying their hardest to produce the best work they can? Well, yes we are, but there is more in that sentence than you might think.
For one thing, if you take the attitude that you are never going to release your work into the world until it is absolutely perfect then the world is always going to have to go without because perfection is unachievable.
In her highly enjoyable book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert, commenting on the dangers of perfectionism, comes up with a great line that paraphrases General Patton, “A good-enough novel violently written now is better than a perfect novel meticulously written never”.
And, what’s more, this endless search for perfection will eventually drive you absolutely loopy as the frustration nibbles away at your sanity day after day.
In my first entry for this blog, ‘The First Novel’, I spoke about the process I went through in getting that very first, complete novel written. I was clear that my goal was simply to get from the beginning to the end, to show myself I could do it. If I had gunned for quality, let alone perfection, I would never have finished that first novel.
Now when I am writing, I just get on with it. I can see errors dropping on to the page as I go along, but I don’t allow it to slow me down. I simply write and write some more. I don’t burden myself with any notions of achieving perfection.
And you want to know something? This approach leaves me a happy writer.
So, if perfectionism isn’t achievable, isn’t good for your sanity and isn’t necessary, then why beat yourself up striving for it? You will be a happier and more productive writer setting aside any such notions.
For the full version of this post please see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
Get a free copy of ‘Good Investigations’ here http://www.benwesterham.com/.
Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.
It might seem odd to think that striving for perfection is in anyway wrong, after all, aren’t all writers trying their hardest to produce the best work they can? Well, yes we are, but there is more in that sentence than you might think.
For one thing, if you take the attitude that you are never going to release your work into the world until it is absolutely perfect then the world is always going to have to go without because perfection is unachievable.
In her highly enjoyable book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert, commenting on the dangers of perfectionism, comes up with a great line that paraphrases General Patton, “A good-enough novel violently written now is better than a perfect novel meticulously written never”.
And, what’s more, this endless search for perfection will eventually drive you absolutely loopy as the frustration nibbles away at your sanity day after day.
In my first entry for this blog, ‘The First Novel’, I spoke about the process I went through in getting that very first, complete novel written. I was clear that my goal was simply to get from the beginning to the end, to show myself I could do it. If I had gunned for quality, let alone perfection, I would never have finished that first novel.
Now when I am writing, I just get on with it. I can see errors dropping on to the page as I go along, but I don’t allow it to slow me down. I simply write and write some more. I don’t burden myself with any notions of achieving perfection.
And you want to know something? This approach leaves me a happy writer.
So, if perfectionism isn’t achievable, isn’t good for your sanity and isn’t necessary, then why beat yourself up striving for it? You will be a happier and more productive writer setting aside any such notions.
For the full version of this post please see http://www.benwesterham.com/a-writers....
Get a free copy of ‘Good Investigations’ here http://www.benwesterham.com/.
Crime fiction with attitude and humour from 1980s London.
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