It is almost impossible
to make a 60,000 word novel
‘perfect.’
There will always be a typo
or a misplaced comma
or a choice
not all readers will agreed
is ‘right.’
I complete 6 drafts,
3 on my own
and 3 with an editor,
and I release the story
into the wild,
knowing it isn’t perfect.
Magic will then happen.
I have a group of readers
who will read my stories
twice.
They’ll read it once
for enjoyment
and they’ll read it
a second time
to look for errors,
for typos, misplaced or missing punctuation,
etc.
They’ll craft messages
and send me their lists.
I thank them,
correct the file,
and they feel like they’ve contributed.
They now feel ownership
of the story.
They promote it.
They defend it.
The tiny imperfections
in my stories
cause readers (customers)
to love the stories
MORE,
not less.
“Imperfect is a chance
for contribution,
connection
and improvisation.
It’s a chance to see
the humanity
behind the moment
you were spending
so much energy creating.”
Nothing you create
will be perfect
…and that can be
a gloriously awesome thing.