by Lisa Jordan, @lisajordan
The Difference Between Successful Writers and Perfect Writers
“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”
—Goethe
I’ve been talking with a longtime friend who wants to be a writer. She’s had this dream since childhood, yet she hasn’t moved past dreaming into doing yet.
During one of our conversations, she mentioned she wanted to be 100% from the beginning. I believe my response was something like, “Sorry, cupcake, you are never going to be 100%. Ever. None of us are. If we are 100% out of the gate, then there’s nothing to strive for…no room to grow.”
Sure, every writer wants to write the best books, articles, blog posts as we possibly can, but if our goal is to write perfectly from the beginning, then we’re setting ourselves for failure over unrealistic expectations. After all, the drive for perfection impedes progress.
If you want to learn to swim, you don’t start by jumping off the diving board into the deep end. You need to learn proper breathing and stroke techniques. Then, when it’s time to jump off the diving board, you can enjoy the experience safely without causing harm to yourself or others.
The same goes for writing—unless you’re learned the craft, how can you expect perfection for something you’re not equipped to do yet? Take the time to learn the process…the basics of writing—manuscript formatting, point of view, character development, plotting, scene tension—and then write. Allow yourself the freedom to write a messy first draft, to make mistakes. After all, life is messy with mistakes that become teachable moments to help us improve.
Writers who feel they need to be 100% all the time are creating unnecessary stress for themselves. I believe perfectionism comes from a fear of screwing up and disappointing others. I totally get it. I’ve been there…I’m still there at times, but writers need to have faith in themselves and their abilities. They also need to have faith in God who equips those He’s called to write and allow Him to lead them along the path he’s laid before them.
It’s so easy to look at a successful writer’s career and think they’ve done it perfectly. We aren’t privy to their fears, frustrations, and struggles—unless they choose to share those details with their readers. However, the difference between a successful writer and a perfect writer is the successful writer was willing to try. By learning from her mistakes, she applied her knowledge, wrote the book, submitted it, and if she didn’t succeed the first or second or third or twentieth time, she continued to try until she succeeded at reaching that goal. Then she made new goals. She found what worked for her and did it again…and again…and again. The perfect writer doesn’t submit because she’s constantly rewriting the same story. Her fears prevent her from moving forward.
If you wait for the perfect time to write, then you will be wasting precious time that could lead you down a road of regrets.
Dreams don’t happen unless you do the work. So, read often, learn the craft, make mistakes, find your courage, and write bravely. Then you will learn what it takes to become a successful writer rather than a perfect one.
A Recipe for Romance
Sarah Sullivan will do whatever it takes to make her summer youth program permanent. But when she’s tasked to teach the teens basic kitchen skills, her hope goes up in flames. Not knowing the first thing about cooking, Sarah needs help. Smelling the delicious aromas coming from her neighbor’s apartment one night, she thinks she’s found her answer. Alec Seaver might know his way around pots and pans, but the lone-wolf widower doesn’t want anything to do with the free-spirited beauty next door. But after he becomes Sarah’s reluctant partner, Alec realizes that she might just be the key ingredient missing from his life.
Heart, home, and faith have always been important to Lisa Jordan, so writing stories with those elements come naturally. Represented by Rachelle Gardner, Lisa is an award-winning author for Love Inspired, writing contemporary Christian romances that promise hope and happily ever after. She is the Operations Manager for Novel.Academy, powered by My Book Therapy. Happily married to her own real-life hero for almost thirty years, Lisa and her husband have two grown sons. When she isn’t writing, Lisa enjoys family time, kayaking, good books, and playing in her craft room with friends. Visit her at lisajordanbooks.com.