Perfectionism is the enemy of creativity, and sometimes it leads to writers abandoning their writing altogether. I’m going to explain why you actually don’t want your first draft to be perfect, along with practical tips on fighting perfectionism.

Perfection is impossible to achieve, especially in such a subjective artform like writing. When a perfectionist makes a mistake, they feel shame because they failed to reach perfection, which then stops them from progressing.

The vicious cycle (which I know well) looks like this:

Perfectionism > Failure > Shame > Stagnation

Perfection is impossible, so it always leads to failure, which leads to shame. The feeling of shame is one that stops. It doesn’t encourage self-reflection so you can learn from your mistake. Shame makes you want to disappear, and that leads to stagnation.

If you have an experimental mindset instead, you can actually reflect and learn from your mistake. By approaching life as an experiment, you accept that mistakes are natural and beneficial. They’re just data points for you to observe and use as a tool to expand your understanding.

This is especially useful as a writer. If you look at your first draft, and rather than see its flaws as shameful failings, you see them as opportunities to expand and strengthen your draft.

How to stop being a perfectionist

remind yourself that problems in your draft are opportunities

An error in your first draft is an opportunity to evolve the story. For example, let’s say your science fiction novel has a plot hole. Your characters pull off a heist and escape into the cosmos on their spaceship. Except, you established ten chapters ago that the planet entered lockdown and a forcefield now prevents any ships from leaving.

Plot holes will happen, and they happen to all authors. Instead of feeling like a failure or thinking a better writer wouldn’t have made this mistake, look at the opportunity your mistake has given you.

What if your characters are forced to hide somewhere on the planet? You end up writing a scene between your characters that leads to huge character development you never planned for, and it’s your new favorite scene in the whole book.

You can use your draft’s flaws to make the story more interesting. Channel your excitement about that possibility, instead of feeling shame.

be kinder to your writing

Stop saying your first draft is terrible. If I could force writers to do one thing, it would be to stop treating their writing like an enemy. You create a self-fulfilling prophecy by saying your first draft is garbage.

Your first draft’s only purpose is to exist so it can eventually be edited. If it exists, it cannot be bad. Yes, it’s a lower quality than the final draft, but that’s a neutral truth. If you assign a moral quality like bad to a draft, of course you’re going to hate drafting!

aim for neutrality

If you despise your first draft, then trying to fall in love with it probably won’t work for you. Sometimes loving your draft is unrealistic, and that’s okay.

Try to feel neutrally about your writing, instead. Stop saying your first draft is trash, but don’t force yourself to say you love it, either.

personify your draft

This one is a little unhinged, but I promise it actually works. It’s really easy to be unkind to yourself and much harder to say the same hurtful things to a friend. So treat your writing like a person with feelings.

Start thinking of your first draft (or writing as a whole) like an imaginary friend. Give it a name, talk to it, write it a letter, and/or make it a friendship bracelet. Do whatever helps you view your writing as separate from yourself.

Would you tell a friend that they’re garbage and you hate hanging out with them? No. Your writing isn’t an enemy intent on your destruction. Your writing is your friend, and you should start treating it like one (literally).

accept that doubt and anxiety is normal

It’s easy to believe that doubt and anxiety about your writing means it’s bad, but when you care about something, doubt is normal.

In a documentary about Hayao Miyazaki, he shares how he feels constant doubt while creating. We see him start and scrap the opening to Ponyo multiple times. He’s created countless masterpieces that have touched millions of people, and he still doubts himself.

Doubt doesn’t mean your writing is bad. It just means you care.

give yourself time

Becoming less of a perfectionist is a process. It’s a combination of consciously changing your mindset over and over (and over), while also taking action that aligns with this mindset.

Be kind to yourself, and don’t fall into the trap of being a perfectionist about not being a perfectionist.