Write of Passage Weekly - Don't Chase Perfection

This month, we're hosting Writing Sprints — workout classes for your mind — to take you from an idea to a published piece of writing in one day. Join us this Friday, June 23, to get your ideas out of your head and into the world.

Many writers wrestle with the illusion of perfection, that there is a state of “doneness” and that a piece must be “done” before it can be shared.

It’s this mindset that causes so much anxiety around writing in public. We anticipate being judged, misunderstood, critiqued, or ignored. And we refuse to share our work because it’s “not ready” for an audience. 

Perfection is a dangerous mirage that tricks us into staying silent. 

There is no such thing as a perfect piece of writing, because you could always make it better. So, instead of endlessly chasing perfection, give yourself a deadline. Work within constraints and give your full effort. Then, even if it’s not “done,” you can decide that it’s ready. You can decide to share your idea with the world.

Publishing it is more important than perfecting it. That’s why we created Writing Sprints — to help you escape the trap of perfectionism and hit “Publish.”

Join us this Friday, June 23, to write, edit, and publish a piece of writing in one day.

Happy writing,

David

P.S. In this video, I share exactly what you can expect from a Writing Sprint.