Perfectionism: The Writer’s Curse
12 Sep
Coming from Chris Garrett at Copyblogger:
As we put words on paper, the editor starts butting in, critiquing as we go. Rather than allow the words to flow, we keep stopping and starting, worrying and fussing, and heckling our own work from within. It’s no wonder we find it so hard to get to the end of a page when we have two personalities battling for control of the keyboard!
Perfectionism isn’t necessarily a bad thing; in fact, it can be very beneficial. But as Garrett points out, there’s a time and a place for it, and while you’re writing is not the time. Unfortunately, putting it into practice can be difficult to do. I’ve been trying exactly what he says to do for 18 years, and yet I can’t make the editor in me shut up.
A curse indeed. *shudders* Meh, you’re not the only one who can’t tell that inner editor to shut it.
I needed that. Thank you.
*goes to draft essay*