I admit it – I am a perfectionist
I will let you in on a secret I am a perfectionist. You wouldn’t know it by looking at my desk – papers all over – but in my banking, or my teaching or now in my blogging I get stressed if I don’t get it right.
When I write my posts I reread them a number of times. I want them to be perfect. Still I make mistakes. Then after I post – I see the dreaded mistake and all my subscribers see it too.
At least in a blog I can easily make corrections but in a book – it is permanent.
As I wrote my book A Better Way I had it looked at and edited many times by different eyes. Then I made a “dummy” copy. I actually ordered three copies from an online photobook company. And guess what? I found more errors. Not too many but I am glad I made the dummy copy first.
Being a perfectionist can be good but it can lead to stress and procrastination. Fear of making a mistake – fear of being judged.
It was a leap of faith when I began to blog. Now people would see not only my thoughts and my emotions but my writing skills as well.
But God did not give me a spirit of fear but of power, and of love and of a sound mind (based on 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJ)
So here I am out of my comfort zone, trying to be brave, pushing myself to write without fear.
I have been told for many years that the best way to write better is to JUST WRITE.
How do you feel about revealing yourself? Do you procrastinate because you want something to be perfect? Is something holding you back from following a dream and/or God’s plan?
I too am a perfectionist. Except that I know that my first attempt has plenty of errors. So I feel no stress. I just wait for time to make the mistakes clear to me, and then I correct them. Writing should be pure pleasure, not a test of ability.
Yes I totally agree that when we write it should be free from the heart and soul. Editing and reediting is the time to fix mistakes. But as you know even when I thought I had it right – there were still errors. So when is it complete – ready for other eyes to see? Blessings,
Jan
How you stir the faults within me and help me to step back and take a good look at myself. My fault is I want perfection, but I also tend to submit to soon, before I’ve read and re:read enough times. On another note,When can I get a copy of your book?
Oh Mary you and I are so alike. I love perfection but I too work too quickly and make silly mistakes. Cleaning up to come home from Arizona- what a story – I left the water running in our bathroom not once but twice and so flooded counter, drawers and floor. A very very clean bathroom.
As for my book – I have made 3 dummy copies with a site called Shutterfly just to get an impression of what it looked like. Found some more errors. I am looking for a publisher at Write!Canada. You can see the dummy copy then if you are coming.
Blessings,
Jan