Imperfectly Perfect: A Writer's Perspective

A new milestone in my writing journey is approaching. Cue the fireworks… but don’t set them off yet!

Also, I have a confession to make. I am not a great writer. I know this because I have made mistakes.

There, I said it.

Feels good!

I am grateful to be on this path today. Before the journey began, fear had a major stronghold on my creative side. I was afraid my writing would never be good enough. I was afraid of ridicule and failure. I worried about quitting… before starting!

I assumed I required a flawless beginning to a perfect journey.

Insert belly laugh.

I am open about my bumbling writing adventures. I learned to ride along with the fear and take that first step from what seemed to be the edge of a cliff. Yet a part of me continues to peer around the corner waiting for the inner critics to yell at me for spelling typos, grammar, topic ideas, marketing, and more. With a new milestone fast approaching, I ask myself:

“Would I stop writing if the fearful, perfectionist mindset takes over again?”

Why do we try so hard to be perfect in an imperfect world?

When I used to pursue perfection all the time, the voices became louder and louder: “Something is wrong. I need to make this better. It is not good enough. I am not good enough.” 

There is a sense of pride attached to immaculate outcomes. However, sometimes we work with unclear goals and unrealistic ideals about what being “perfect” is… and isn’t.  

It is becoming harder to be imperfect in a world seeking excellence in everything we do. Striving for perfectionism is a way to control an outcome within ourselves when we can't control the world around us. Doubt and anxiety ensue over not being (what is perceived as) “perfect.” 

Perfection can cause procrastination. 

Sometimes we delay creative endeavours because we place high expectations on what we imagine the outcome should be. We may give up on a goal because we think it's too late to start or there is no point in trying.

This type of procrastination can hit us at any point along the path. I wanted to wait for the “perfect time” to launch my first newsletter post. There were many steps to take before the launch. What platform will I use? What will I write about? Should I reach out to old contacts? How often should I send it out? Initially, I told myself I wasn’t ready because I didn’t have these answers.

“Don’t wait to start your dream” is the first statement in my personal writing manifesto. Instead of waiting or giving up on dreams and intentions for the right moment, I regularly review them and determine if they can be broken down into smaller tasks. Think of the (English) alphabet song beginning with A and ending with Z. What happens between B and Y? It depends on the version you’re working with. The journey towards Z will seem closer and become easier as you work through and celebrate each letter you complete. I would not define my newsletter launch as flawless; however, I was content with the steps taken to get me to where I am today.

It is not wrong to aim for perfection.

Striving for the best outcome could be used unintentionally as a barrier if we don’t succeed on the first try or if something takes longer than we initially planned. There is a time to put on the “perfectionist hat” when we refine a process along the way. In the beginning, we should aim to get messy. A good example is the first draft of a story vs. a final published book. The first draft SHOULD get your hands dirty.

In nature, things are perfect without the neurosis of aiming for 100%. Look at trees. They know when to bloom and when to wither. They are beautiful whether they are clean or messy. No tree does it the same way. Is one tree more “perfect” than the other? Why can’t we all think like trees?

Is there only one path to achieve perfection?

I can’t discuss this topic without mentioning the added stress and temptation for creatives to use Skynet, I mean AI. It is everywhere, it is growing, and it’s getting smarter all the time. Why try to be perfect on my own when there are tools to do it for me?

If I use AI to make my writing faultless, it will make the writing even less perfect. The output will never sound like me, no matter how well I program it. I will know it wasn’t my effort to use my words to convey my story or vision. No algorithm knows me better than me… for now (stop reading my mind and computer, GOOGLE… and DISNEY).

I am not anti-AI, despite my feelings for Skynet, but I am not interested in creating a daily writing habit with these tools. For many parts of my life, I was made to believe I could not have a voice. Writing with all my flaws is a daily reminder my voice matters. Why would I want an algorithm to take this away? Plus, who knows my gut better than me?  Not SKYNET - get out of my head!

If I waited to be a perfect writer I would never write.

I delayed my writing journey out of fear. Part of the fear related to what I saw as imperfections in myself. 

990 days later, I have multiple writing pieces in addition to seven journals and 72 newsletters. I remind myself regularly that perfection is unnecessary to feel personally accomplished. I set realistic expectations daily, embrace my mistakes as learning opportunities, break down cumbersome intentions into smaller tasks, and celebrate when these tasks are done. Most importantly, I continue to follow my gut.

I may not be a great writer, but I AM writing. My passion outweighs the fear of starting and striving for perfection. I am imperfectly perfect for my journey at this time.

What you may view as imperfections could be part of the creative transitions you experience as you navigate your path. They may also be the parts that others love most about you. I believe in you and the creative messes you’re brewing - I can’t wait to see them!

Get messy and love your imperfections, whatever they may be, fellow creatives.

Nadine