Letting Go of Perfect: How Writers Grow Through Imperfection
For years, I believed my first novel, The Witch’s Throne, had to be perfect before I could move forward. I kept revising, refining, and second-guessing, waiting for the day I’d finally be “satisfied.”
That day never came — and it never will.
Perfection isn’t a destination. It’s a distraction.
The Hidden Belief That Keeps Writers Stuck
Beneath my perfectionism was a quiet fear:
If I can make this one book perfect, maybe I’ll finally prove I’m a real writer.
Sound familiar?
Many writers stay trapped in the same loop — endlessly editing one project instead of finishing, releasing, and starting the next. But growth doesn’t come from perfecting one story. It comes from writing the next one.
Every story teaches us something different:
One helps us understand structure.
Another helps us write better dialogue.
Another helps us tell emotional truth.
Perfectionism freezes that evolution. Completion fuels it.
Progress Is the Real Proof
The stories we finish — not the ones we polish forever — become our greatest teachers. Each finished work is a record of who we were at that stage in our creative development.
That’s what makes writing so powerful: you see your growth over time.
So I’ve stopped treating The Witch’s Throne like a test I have to pass. Instead, I’m letting it stand as it is — a foundation for everything that comes next.
Because mastery isn’t built through perfection. It’s built through momentum.
Perfectionism Is Fear in Disguise
Perfectionism tells us we’re protecting our art.
But really, we’re protecting ourselves from:
Rejection
Criticism
Vulnerability
When we hold our work too tightly, we stop ourselves from learning what only finishing and sharing can teach us.
The cure for perfectionism isn’t lowering your standards.
It’s accepting that evolution happens in public.
What Letting Go Looks Like
Here’s what I’m practicing now:
1. Finishing imperfectly.
I remind myself that “done for now” is enough.
2. Writing forward.
Each new story is a lab for experimentation — not a verdict on my talent.
3. Using AI as a creative tool, not a crutch.
AI helps me brainstorm, analyze patterns, and push ideas further. But the heart of the story still comes from the human places — curiosity, emotion, reflection.
4. Sharing the process.
I’m documenting my creative evolution so others can see that progress matters more than polish.
For Fellow Writers
If you’ve been waiting to make your novel, story, or project “perfect” before you move on, consider this your permission slip:
You don’t need to finish perfectly.
You just need to keep growing.
Each story is a stepping stone. You’ll never know what you’re capable of writing next if you don’t let this one go.
Moving Forward
I’m choosing evolution over approval.
Curiosity over control.
Momentum over mastery.
And I’m inviting you to do the same.
If you’d like to follow my process — as I write new stories, explore AI-assisted creativity, and share lessons from the writing life — you can join me on Patreon or subscribe to my newsletter for updates.
Thank you for being here, even in the imperfection.
— Stacey