“Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there's no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal.” Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection
There's a pervasive myth in the writing community that suggests a negative correlation between speed and quality. That a book written quickly is no good. That one written slowly is better than one written fast. That perfection takes years.
This belief can stop you from writing. It can be a block.
This is an excerpt from How to Write Non-Fiction: Turn Your Knowledge into Words by Joanna Penn. Available in ebook, print, audiobook and workbook formats.
Speed and quality
Speed of creation does have a relationship to book length, as it will likely take longer to write a 500,000 word magnum opus on The History of America than it will to write a 25,000 word ebook on How to Cook Easy Gluten-Free Dinners for Kids in 15 Minutes. These books serve different purposes, and the authors will have quite different definitions of success in mind.
The idea of ‘quality' is therefore related to two different elements – what the author thinks, and what the reader thinks about the book.
It is up to you, the author, to create a product that fits your definition of quality, however you choose to publish. After all, plenty of pointless celebrities have book deals with traditional publishers, so the publishing method is hardly a measure of quality. You have to be satisfied that you have done the very best job you can do on this book, and achieved your definition of success.
If you care about critics, then for sure, you want to consider them. But for most non-fiction authors, the main measure of quality is satisfying readers and having reviews that reflect this.
If How to Cook Easy Gluten-Free Dinners for Kids in 15 Minutes provides value for busy mums trying to give their kids healthier food, and it gets great reviews, then it is a quality book. No matter if it only took two weeks to write.
Authors tend to criticize books far more than readers do, so keep focused on helping your readers and doing the best you can for them.
Perfectionism
Of course, you can only reach readers if you put the book into the world. Some writers find it hard to press ‘Publish’ because they struggle with letting the book go.
They keep messing with sentences, searching in vain for the right turn of phrase. They agonize for weeks, changing back and forth, and finally settle on a sentence, then move onto the next one, only to come back weeks later and begin more revisions.
The truth is that nothing is ever perfect and it’s only your fear holding you back.
Even if you hire three separate editors and use ten different proofreaders, you will still get an email from a reader pointing out a typo or an error. This is normal. Go pick up any bestselling book from a traditional publisher and scour it for typos. You will find them.
Look at any prize-winning or bestselling book on Amazon and check the reviews. The more popular the book, the more issues people will find with it. There will never be a book that will satisfy everyone, and that's fine.
Not everyone will like your book, and a couple of typos are not the end of the world.
Strive for excellence and follow a professional process to ensure your book is the best it can be
Go through your own self-editing process, then work with a professional editor, do the rewrites that will improve your book and use a proofreader. But make sure you set a deadline, otherwise this editing process can turn into procrastination.
Once you have been through a rigorous process with an end point, get your book out into the world, however you choose to publish. If you feel the itch to edit yet again, be honest with yourself.
- Is another round of changes really going to make a substantial difference to this book?
- Would it be better to work on the next book instead of constantly reworking this one?
- Do you want to be one of those authors who has been working on the same book for ten years with no end in sight?
At some point, you have to stop listening to your inner critic or the negative voices of others. Do your best and let the book out into the world.
“Set a limit on revisions, set a limit on drafts, set a time limit … The book will never be perfect.” Kristine Kathryn Rusch, The Pursuit of Perfection and How it Harms Writers
This is an excerpt from How to Write Non-Fiction: Turn Your Knowledge into Words by Joanna Penn. Available in ebook, print, audiobook and workbook formats.
