Nope, that’s wrong, but yet it’s been drilled into most of us since we were kids. Wake up and smell the coffee—you will never be perfect. But that’s okay. Perfect is boring, at least I think it would be pretty dull.

Conflict is what makes life exciting. It’s also what drives your plot and makes your story interesting. So why can’t the same be said for us? When you write, or do anything for that matter, don’t strive for perfection. Just try to be the best you can be.

In another Tip I said read to improve your writing. Take a favorite book and read it, then read it again, and again. You’ll see a mistake somewhere in the book. Maybe more than once. I bet you still enjoyed it, though.

If you’re not writing or have stopped because you don’t think you’ll ever get it right, quit worrying, pick up your pen or go back to your computer because it doesn’t have to be perfect. You can improve, but you’ll never be perfect and that’s okay.