Perfection is the Enemy of True Creativity

I am currently reading a book by a published author who advises anyone struggling with the writing method on how to improve their craft. She talks about just writing without a goal in mind and then going back over your work later and finding essential things that you initially glossed over. Her main point was that creativity isn't something we can turn on and off whenever we want to. It must be allowed free reign to grow and flourish. 

Like a garden, there will be weeds among the flowers, but it is the start of good writing to recognize the weeds and remove them. Like any gardener, we must learn what is valuable and expendable in our writing. But first, you must start by preparing the ground, or your stream of consciousness writing first drafts, and then weeding out what isn't necessary for your story. 

Of course, the obvious conclusion at this point is that writing requires constant work and discipline. The idea of writing a great story in your first draft seems appealing, but taking the time to go back and improve it makes you a better writer. 

Perfection is a goal, but very seldom is it truly a result. Most of us, myself included, have some fear of not writing as we as we hope to. However, once we realize that perfection is the enemy of creativity, we start to enjoy the freedom we should feel as content creators. Our stories are unique because each one of us is unique. Not everyone likes or appreciates our work, but that should never deter us from following our dreams. 

I am a big fan of Kindness. Kindness gets me through the rough times. Kindness keeps me from getting too discouraged when I don't feel I gave my best effort. Kindness gives me permission to fail and then try again. I can write a long story every day and then carefully craft it,  improve it, and make it better by just having a little bit of patience. 

Inspiration comes in a flash, but Creativity takes time and love to grow. Don't let perfection ruin your creative spirit. Keep creating and improving each day.