Too many writers are afraid to produce low quality work.
Here’s why that’s a dumb idea.
And … a horrible trap.
The trap … thinking we must produce high quality work all the time otherwise we will be a failure.
It’s a recipe … for disaster, for burning out real fast.
As a result … we get cold feet, and write nothing (that’s writer’s block in author lingo)
Now that I’ve told you why perfection is a dumb idea, let me tell you why progression is a better idea.
Jodi Picoult says it eloquently – “You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”
Producing low quality work does not mean you must publish it. But it does mean that you must write.
That is where so many writers get confused, and become stubborn in their quest for perfection.
Writing is a division of three tasks. When a writer tries to write perfect, they try to multi-task all three at the same time. Research dictates multi-tasking is the opposite of productivity.
The three tasks?
- Writing is a task.
- Editing is a different task.
- Rewriting is also a separate task.
When a writer learns the difference between these, the writer will give themselves permission to do three highly essential things that produces great writing over time.
- to be messy
- to write wrong
- to enjoy themselves
That said, be messy, write wrong, and have fun.
Here’s what I believe, and feel free to disagree. If ALL your work is always perfect, then ONE of the following is true.
- You have 80+ years of writing experience
- You don’t write enough
End Rant.
