by CJ Myerly, @mdippedinink

In January, we were given a keyboard. My daughter had a blast hitting the keys with her fingers, no concern for rhythm or harmony. Just having fun. But then she started her lessons, focusing on one aspect: rhythm. She played middle C all day, learning the difference between half notes and quarter notes and more. Then, her lessons grew, as did her frustration when she began handling multiple notes with different beats and tempos. 

“I’m scared.” Her fingers tensed. “What if I mess up?” 

Her beginning journey with the piano reminds me so much of writing. When I wrote my first novel, I paid no attention to plot or characterization. I just wrote. It was a blast. However, it wasn’t a publishable novel. When I wrote my second novel, I joined the ACFW, began reading craft novels, and joined critique groups. My writing grew. I understood more, but it was still fun. However, while that novel wasn’t the worst thing I’d written, it still wasn’t publishable. And thus, I began my third novel. 

By this point, I’d joined My Book Therapy, entered contests, received feedback. The rules of writing, differing opinions, the questions of “was I good enough” stifled my creativity. And I found myself asking the same question my daughter did. “I’m scared. What if I mess up?” 

This writing journey is hard. Any new skill is, to be honest. In writing, we have to give our all, delving into emotions we don’t always want to feel, learning to understand human nature so we can write realistic characters, with believable motives and backstory. 

I’m a perfectionist, and so is my daughter. But in writing, there’s no room for perfectionism. At the root of perfectionism is fear of not being good enough, of failure. 

Failure doesn’t cripple us. It edifies and transforms and teaches. Fear of failure, on the other hand, can cripple us, if we let it. Writing takes bravery and tough skin, a willingness to put yourself out there on display to all the world. 

I’m currently editing my third novel, and the perfectionism beast is out to play. This is the time to perfect the words, right? And yet, I can’t write perfect words, because I’m still growing and learning. Even multi-published authors on best-selling lists are still learning. 

How do we silence the perfectionism beast, once and for all? 

 Give your fear to God. God doesn’t give us a spirit of fear. When we’re writing inspirational stories, the enemy wants nothing more than to silence us. Let’s silence the fear, and when the fear of failure creeps up again, let’s keep silencing it. 

Strive for our personal best. Maybe your personal best isn’t ready for publication, but each book you write gets you a little closer. 

Trust the process. Write your book. Study craft. Receive feedback whenever you have the opportunity. When your book is finished, start the process of pitching. 

And when the question pops up in your mind, “what if I mess up?” Answer, with truth. God already knows the end of your writing journey. He knows where all this will lead. Trust Him, with your stories.

 

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CJ Myerly lives in Texas with her husband and two children. She’s passionate about teaching and writing, which she accomplishes by homeschooling and writing contemporary romance. She has a love-hate relationship with electronics, stairs, and blank pages. CJ is an active member of the ACFW and My Book Therapy. She was a 2017 Genesis Semi-Finalist and a 2017 First Impressions Finalist. To connect with her, find her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram