On Being a Perfectionist

It’s rough being a perfectionist in an imperfect world. It’s a wonder we can make it through the day.

In a perfectionist’s world, every driver would operate their car exactly the way I want them to. (Ooops, ended a sentence with a preposition. Oh my!)
I missed a comma or put one where it doesn’t belong? Whatever made me think I could write?I cringe when a critique partner finds a sentence splice. Or spots a sentence dangling its participle for the entire world to see.

My hero has blue eyes on page 3 and green eyes on page 150. It’s a historical novel so I can’t use the contact lens excuse.

When I first started writing, I froze at the thought of submitting my work to a critique group. The Apprentice course at Christian Writers Guild had me more jittery than a gallon of coffee. And I was paying for them to criticize me!

And we all know the deadly side effect of perfectionism—procrastination. At times, this means I won’t start because conditions are not ideal.

Or I won’t start chapter two because chapter one isn’t perfect. But I don’t touch chapter one because I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong with it.

Or I won’t submit my manuscript until it’s perfect. Well, it’s never perfect enough. So it dies the slow death of constant tinkering.

I know of writers—writers with talent—who left critique groups because of criticism. They took the criticism to mean their writing wasn’t perfect. Therefore, they weren’t perfect.
Although, I still think other drivers should operate the way I want them to.Now, through taking risks, I know perfection is unattainable in this world. Especially in my writing. And that is okay. Perfection comes when I get to heaven.

Do you struggle with perfectionism? How do you overcome it?