“There is a crack, a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”
– Leonard Cohen/ Singer and songwriter
Do you freak out when you can’t think of ways to “perfect” your writing? Do your weaknesses make you feel anxious? Do you wish to be like famous writers who don’t run out of wit to create impressive pieces? The biggest question here is, why do you need to be perfect in the first place?
Our flaws, errors, defects—whatever we call it—make us real. If you see yourself as a perfectionist, it’s fine. Just remember we are all humans and it is our nature to commit mistakes.
Don’t be too hard on yourself. If others can overcome their imperfections, so can you. All you need to do is to breathe in, breathe out, and follow these pieces of advice:
1. Talk to yourself – It might sound crazy but it will keep you from over-thinking, which will fuel up your paranoia. You won’t get suspended because of a single misspelled word in your published work, will you?
2. Take a break – You won’t get any ideas if you force yourself to brainstorm when your brain refuses to function. Leave your project for a day or two to refresh your senses and rekindle your creative ego.
3. Set a deadline – Don’t leave your project hanging for too long as it will turn into procrastination. Set a deadline to remind you of what you should accomplish.
4. Ask a friend to remind you about the deadline – Do you find yourself bad at meeting deadlines? Have a friend remind you about it!
5. Use your weakness as your new strengths – What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Use your past experiences as your motivation to write better. Refer to your edited contents to find out what you need to improve, retain, and eliminate.
Last but not the least; laugh at your flaws. Your writing will never be perfect and it’s okay. In fact, you’re likely to screw things up more when you try hard to make it perfect. If you want to learn how to write an article that is engaging, the key is to let your creative juices flow and embrace your flaws. You can make an excellent writer out of your imperfect self. Be inspired and write with all your heart.
Sources: Tiny Buddha, Success Works, Valerie and Valise