for the writer who wants it to perfect right now.
- Remember that you will have to rewrite and/or edit, no matter how good this draft is. That’s just a way of life. Maybe that paragraph you spent 10 years perfecting will be cut, you never know.
- Don’t read it. Look away. Look away. If you don’t look at the thing that’s bothering you, it doesn’t exist and you’ll forget about it. You might have a different perspective when you finally find it again.
- Talk about your story! You are not in this alone. Your friends will help you. Discuss story ideas with each other, get excited about your projects. Forget that you don’t have the perfect synonym for the word ‘orange’.
- Take a break. If you stare at anything for too long, you’ll start to notice inconsistencies that may not even be there.
- Remind yourself that no one else writes perfectly. Why should you have to, when even critically acclaimed published authors don’t?
Find your best broadsword and hack your perfectionism to pieces.
- Know that you will learn from your peers. Your beta readers and your critique partners will help you … but they can’t help you if they have nothing to read. They need something to read. Get it out there!
- Put a sticky-note on your computer. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT.
- Limit yourself. If you find yourself stuck on a specific line or paragraph, give yourself 10 minutes to fix it or move on.