The Perfectionist in your Head

Most of you have them—the internal voices in your head that say you’re messing up, that your writing is worthless. Sometimes, it makes you wonder why you even bother.

Most beginning writers worry about whether or not they have any talent. They wonder whether all the effort they put into their writing will be worth it. There’s only one way to find the answer—write.

If you want to be a good swimmer, you have to get in the water and swim. It’s the same with writing. If you want to grow as a writer, sit down and write. The more you write, the better you will become. Reading will also help. Once you begin to write, you will never read the same again. As I read, I’m constantly looking for interesting phrases, plot twists, catchy dialogue, and creative characters.

You can also talk with other writers, join critique groups, and attend conferences and workshops. But none of these will improve your writing as much as plenty of practice. Only through writing will you discover for yourself what your strengths and weaknesses are as a writer.

Most writers do their best work if they don’t worry about technical correctness as they write. Getting caught up in details can distract you and slow down your momentum. So, instead of trying to fix every little mistake as you write, focus on what’s most important—getting the words onto the page.

So, what do you do about those pesky voices in your head? Just write in spite of them. Over time, they will get quieter. They may pop up again unexpectedly, but if you keep on writing you will triumph in the end.