How can you balance the need for perfection and meeting deadlines?
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As a writer, you may often struggle with the dilemma of delivering high-quality work within tight deadlines. You want to polish your words until they shine, but you also don't want to miss the opportunity to share your message with your audience. How can you balance the need for perfection and meeting deadlines? Here are some tips to help you find the sweet spot between quality and speed.
Before you start writing, clarify the goal and scope of your project. What is the main message you want to convey? Who is your target audience? What are the expectations and requirements of your client or editor? Knowing your purpose will help you focus on the essential elements of your writing and avoid unnecessary distractions or revisions.
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Chris Davis
Change Agent/Trusted Advisor/Author/Futurist/Educator
Perfectionism is one of the leading causes of procrastination. To combat this, you have to start with what is your personal source of the need for perfectionism. Is it that you are worried about how others will perceive you based on your work? Your work is not you. Do you hold perfectionism as a standard? Consider the philosophy of wabi sabi...all things are imperfect, and that is what makes them beautiful. Personally, I follow the agile philosophy...we will learn more by creating something, getting it out there, and learning from the results. It is much more effective to revise than it is to get it right the first time. It may be that something has to ship before being perfect, but not shipping is even worse.
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Esther Pina
Que tus palabras no ocupen espacios vacíos sino que llenen tu web, tus posts y tus blogs con buen copy e historias apasionantes para tu comunicación y ventas. I Copywriting disruptivo I Storytelling I Creatividad
¿Has visto la serie Valeria? Trata de una escritora novel que tiene que entregar una novela a plazos. Llega a la primera entrega con unos capítulos infumables y se los echan para atrás. Le dan un no y es entonces cuando encuentra el filón de la novela que va a escribir; se inspira y crea una historia buena. En mi opinión, es importante distinguir entre contenidos de consumo rápido y literatura de libro. He puesto los dos extremos, me explico. En un escrito para un libro no puedes permitirte ningún fallo; en un post diario el nivel de perfeccionismo es distinto porque es un contenido que mañana estará obsoleto. Conocer el tipo de consumo es clave para trabajar entre el perfeccionismo y los plazos y ser así un escritor con menos estrés.
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Once you have a clear idea of what you need to write, estimate how long it will take you to complete each stage of the writing process. Break down your project into manageable tasks, such as research, outline, draft, edit, and proofread. Assign a realistic deadline for each task and stick to it. Use a calendar, a timer, or a productivity app to track your progress and stay on schedule.
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Marwan Samy
Social Media Content Creator | Pro Editor | Digital content producer.
Constructive criticism is a very powerful tool, and in the wrong hands can be very disastrous, that is why I believe in having a person with a certain level of "professionalism" and insight to provide feedback on my work. A person with certain sentiments and an ironclad perspective can directly interfere with a writer's state of mind towards their work, as their bias could deter a writer's growth. Have people (friends) who have a 360 view on things, as that flexibility would have a proper all-rounded grooming effect. There's also the case of those who possess limited insight on the subjects you write, and are only capable of providing compliments. Compliments are good builders of confidence, but can only provide half the growth.
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Blessy Mathew
LinkedIn Ghostwriter and Content Writer | I help founders, C-suite executives, and coaches build solid personal brands on LinkedIn through effective contents to 2X the reach | ACCA Aspirant
Before I start writing, I always take some time to plan out my project. This includes estimating how long each task will take and setting realistic deadlines for myself. Once I have a plan, I stick to it as best as I can.
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One of the best ways to improve your writing is to seek feedback from others. Whether it's from a colleague, a friend, a mentor, or a professional proofreader, feedback can help you identify and correct errors, gaps, or inconsistencies in your writing. However, feedback can also be overwhelming or conflicting, especially when you have multiple sources or limited time. To balance feedback and deadlines, you need to prioritize the most relevant and constructive comments, and apply them with discretion and confidence.
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Lechi Eke
Literature scholar, writer, and editor
Being spontaneous is one of the tricks. Drop an idea on paper or phone, laptop as soon as they drop on your mind. Return and touch it up when free. Meeting deadlines? Keep working in your head so that when you sit down you deliver and submit!
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Victor McSidney
Freelance writer || Creative writer || Editor || Author || Content writer || Script writer || Quantity Surveyor (in training)
Constructive criticism is a very powerful tool, and in the wrong hands can be very disastrous, that is why I believe in having a person with a certain level of "professionalism" and insight to provide feedback on my work. A person with certain sentiments and an ironclad perspective can directly interfere with a writer's state of mind towards their work, as their bias could deter a writer's growth. Have people (friends) who have a 360 view on things, as that flexibility would have a proper all-rounded grooming effect. There's also the case of those who possess limited insight on the subjects you write, and are only capable of providing compliments. Compliments are good builders of confidence, but can only provide half the growth.
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No matter how hard you try, you will never achieve absolute perfection in your writing. There will always be room for improvement, and there will always be someone who disagrees or dislikes your work. Instead of letting this discourage you, use it as an opportunity to learn from your mistakes and grow as a writer. Analyze what went well and what didn't, and apply the lessons to your future projects. Don't let perfectionism paralyze you or prevent you from sharing your voice with the world.
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Erin Brenner
Builder of editing teams for small and growing businesses. 💪 Advocate for conscious language. 💬 Lover of 📚, ☕, ⛰.
Take care with what you determine is a mistake. While mistakes in writing are real, so much of writing is subjective. It's art. Are you trying to please everyone with one piece of writing? That's never going to happen. Does pleasing the audience mean writing in a way you don't like? Perhaps that's necessary but it doesn't make your writing a mistake. It makes it appropriate for the audience.
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Ross Mayfield
Content Marketing, Emails, & Copywriting for Small, Owner-led Professional Service Businesses
I sometimes call my first draft my 'vomit draft.' Its only purpose is to get ideas out of my head & onto the screen as quickly as possible. It's usually a mess, and not something I'd ever want anyone else to see. The second & third drafts are for fixing all those mistakes, putting stuff in the right order, and making it presentable.
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Finally, don't forget to celebrate your achievements and reward yourself for meeting your deadlines. Writing is a challenging and rewarding activity that requires creativity, discipline, and resilience. You should be proud of every piece of writing you produce, regardless of its flaws or imperfections. Celebrating your achievements will boost your motivation and confidence, and help you enjoy the process of writing more.
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CA Sangita Biswas
58k+ LinkedIn | PwC AC | Chartered Accountant | Spiritual | Meditator | CA | Writer |
I had just finished a challenging project at work, and instead of marking the occasion, I brushed it off, thinking it was just another day. My friend Sarah, on the other hand, was all about celebrating. She convinced me to have a small get-together with some colleagues. It turned out to be a fantastic idea. As we shared stories and laughter, I realized that taking the time to celebrate my achievement was about more than just patting myself on the back. It was a way of recognizing my hard work and giving credit to the team that had supported me. It boosted my morale, and it was a reminder that our achievements should be acknowledged and shared with loved ones. It added a sense of fulfillment and motivation for future endeavors.
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Meredith Jaeger
USA Today bestselling author and creative writer.
When publishing a novel, a lot is out of the author's control. Sales are influenced by the publisher's budget, getting a boost from a celebrity book club, or the number of pre-orders a book has. It can be discouraging for a mid-list author (like me!) trying to "break out". But that doesn't mean writing a novel isn't a huge achievement. Whether or not I hit a bestseller list, I will celebrate my book launch with friends and family. They are, after all, the people who matter most.
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Paul Harrietha, Ph.D.
Writer / Dundurn Author / Mentor
It's called "strategic abandonment." Perfection in the writing game is (a) subjective and (b) by definition, unattainable. Rely on your talents and expertise to produce an 80% solution quickly. If time permits, refine it. If not, take comfort in the delivery of a quality -- if not perfect -- piece of work. Besides, editors need love and work too ;-)!
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Stefana Sopco
Head of Content Marketing @ Smartflow | Digital transition in the Tank Storage Sector | B2B Marketing | FortyUnder40 | Women in Tech | Role Model Diversity & Inclusion | Animal Lover
Don't let others silence you. Don't let others take your voice. Believe in your story and write it down the way you feel and know it. You will not be everyone's glass of milk but you don't need that either. Just sit down and write.
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