There’s no such thing as perfect writing.
At some point you gotta ship it and be satisfied that you did the best you could.
Just like life.
Here’s a quote by Anne Lamott. If you don’t know who she is, go Google her.
‘Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren’t even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they’re doing it.’
So is your writing perfect?
Or is it just like your life?
I’m dying to hear your words.
If every person was perfect there would be no crime.
If every crime was perfect the criminals would never get caught.
If every criminal hunt was perfect, each one would fill a column, not a book.
If every book was perfect it’s admirers would be too intimidated to write their own.
If art had to be perfect there’d be no paintings, just photographs..
I think every reader should finish a book, look around them, and feel they’re suddenly back home after a vacation, but remembering the sights & sounds & scents they experienced. No vacation is perfect (especially when it’s to a morgue) but they should feel they’ve BEEN there.
It doesn’t have to be perfect all thru, some of the greatest books are remembered by one paragraph, or even one line. Just grab them by the throat at some point so your story becomes their story for a while.
So lately, my life sucks…but I think my writing has improved! No perfectionism here.