It's first draft time. I'm working on two; Clan Companions: Joseph and Warriors of Risnar: Worlds Away. First drafts are a mess, and we writers know it. Why? Because we fly through them in a frenzy, fighting to get the words on the page. There's no time to get hung up on the perfect phrase or finding that one word or going back to check on a detail. Because if we fuss over that in the first go, we'll never reach The End. We'll be stuck for eternity in Chapter 1, maybe even on Page 1, because we haven't gotten it just right.
That's what editing is for--going back, worrying over it later. Because the important thing is progress. Not getting hung up on every tiny detail, details that will keep us from finishing the job. We know we'll make mistakes. But we know we'll make it better. And that's all anyone can ask of themselves: can I make it better? Not perfect, because perfect will never come no matter how hard you try. If you insist on perfect, you'll find yourself stuck on Page 1 forever, afraid to make something happen because it's not "good enough". That your life isn't "good enough". That you aren't "good enough". Which you are, especially if you push ahead and make what has to happen, happen. Then see how you can improve yourself and your life with the foundation that you've laid.
Don't drive yourself crazy, hoping for perfection. Progress is all life asks of you. It's all you can ask of yourself, moving on one step at a time, getting better and better each day.
No comments:
Post a Comment