Chapter 1: Recognizing Perfectionism in Writing

Dear Writers,

I've recently come to realize why my writing output has dwindled. Despite having published three novels, a novella, and over a hundred stories on Medium, I’m not exempt from errors. In fact, I've made a significant blunder in the past week, culminating in the release of just one story, which left me feeling quite disheartened.

This setback has surfaced just as I was beginning to enjoy some success on the platform, with the prospect of reaching my first $100 month in January. However, I let a common pitfall that many novice writers encounter trip me up: perfectionism.

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been immersed in crafting an article within my new niche of Human-Centered Writing. After much contemplation, I finally managed to outline it as a four-part series. Unfortunately, I’ve been treating the initial piece as if it were a monumental work of art, resulting in an almost two-week delay in its completion.

This article presents a significant challenge as I strive to incorporate insights from experts in UX Writing and content marketing while also articulating my perspective on what Human-Centered Writing and Messaging entail.

Yet, I find myself stymied; I feel unable to write anything else until I push through this block and finalize the article. My fear of its perfection has become a barrier, stalling my ability to work on or publish other pieces. Experience has taught me that allowing writer’s block to take hold now could jeopardize my writing routine entirely.

Section 1.1: Learning from George R.R. Martin

Many fans have eagerly awaited George R.R. Martin's next installment in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter, for nearly ten years. Despite facing his own bouts of writer’s block, Martin hasn’t allowed this to halt his creative output completely.

Alongside his role as a producer for Game of Thrones, he has contributed as a writer for the forthcoming video game, Elden Ring, and is involved with the HBO series, House of the Dragon, all while continuing to work on his next book.

Subsection 1.1.1: Embracing Regular Writing

This experience serves as a valuable lesson for writers like me: it’s crucial to keep writing and sharing your work regularly without allowing daunting projects to stifle your momentum. When faced with a difficult piece, return to it when you have the energy, while still allowing time for other projects to be shared with the world.

Chapter 2: Overcoming Writer’s Block

In this video, "Writing Lessons I Wish I'd Learned Sooner (aka how to stop worrying)," the host discusses strategies for overcoming the fear of imperfection in writing.

The second video, "6 First Page Mistakes Every New Fantasy Writer Makes," provides insights on common pitfalls that new writers encounter and how to navigate them effectively.

Let these lessons guide you as you continue your writing journey, reminding you that progress is more important than perfection.