Why 80% is good enough
By Amanda J. Clay
I realized something about myself this year. I am a perfectionist. My work never feels “done.” I know, shocking. A writer who never thinks their work is good enough.
Of course, we all want our work to be the best it can be. I strive for better with every manuscript. With fifteen published books under my belt, I’ve come a long way and I think, in general, I get a little better each time.
But over the past year, I found myself struggling to finish projects. I was racking up manuscripts that were hitting the 80% completion mark and then abandoning them. I would open the file and have a physical aversion to the words on the page. I couldn’t even bring myself to send them to my editor because they weren’t “ready.” I couldn’t figure out what my problem was. Maybe I’d lost my magic! I was so afraid of this that I started picking up design work (my occasional side hustle when I need an alternative creative outlet) and forgoing writing altogether.
And then it clicked. I was so afraid that my books weren’t going to be “perfect” that I was just abandoning them so I wouldn’t have to face that fear. Sometimes our fear of failure can be so great, it keeps us from even trying.
Well…if I can be candid here. That’s just stupid. Because the reality is, perfection is an illusion. There is no such thing because “perfect” is entirely subjective. Don’t believe me? Think of a book or film you think is utterly perfect. Then read the reviews. See those one stars? Nothing is perfect for all people.
And you know what? Sometimes 80% is just good enough! It’s good enough for your Beta readers or your editor. Good enough to share with someone who can help you see the areas of opportunity to push it to 99%.
Sometimes your 80% might even be good enough for your readers. I’m not saying you knowingly give your readers sub-par work. I’m saying that while you’re spinning your wheels at 80%, trying to chase the illusion of perfection, you might actually have a fantastic story stuck on your computer that’s not feeding your hungry readers. I ran into this with a long-overdue book in one of my series. My readers literally said, it doesn’t need to be perfect! Just give us the story! Chances are your 80% is WAY better than you realize.
One of my favorite quotes of all time is “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of done.” I’m not sure who actually coined the phrase, but there are no shortages of adages in this vein from Voltaire to Shakespeare on how our strive to be perfect prevents us from achieving greatness.
So if you’re like me and you’re stuck trying to make that book perfect, maybe it’s time to let it go. Send it off to your editor, your betas, a trusted friend. Or, maybe it’s actually ready for your readers after all.
Amanda J. Clay writes gripping, up-all-night suspense with complex, kick-butt female leads. When she’s not staring at a computer screen, she is part of the fabulous team that puts on the San Francisco Writers Conference. She currently lives in Nashville, TN with her dashing, real-life hero of a husband, who inspires her villains and heroes alike, and their hellion of a daughter.
She loves connecting! Don’t be shy.
amandajclay.com
amandajclay@amandajclay.com
