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finished > perfect
Some kids fix their first sentence so many times the story never gets past page one.
That's a trap. Done is way better than perfect, especially for your first draft. We talk about why grownups also struggle with this, and a small rule that keeps your story moving forward instead of getting stuck on page one forever. Perfect is for later. Done is for today. Finishers are the kids who learn that early.
Perfect · done · which one wins
| Perfect | Done |
|---|---|
| Same paragraph for weeks | Whole story by Friday |
| Nobody ever reads it | You finish, you smile |
| You feel stuck | You feel proud |
| No book | A whole story |
The done-first rule
- Write the first draft from start to finish.
- Don't fix anything until you reach the end.
- If you notice mistakes, just keep going.
- When the story is done, then you can edit.
- Done first. Perfect later. Always.
Perfect is for later. Done is for today. Every grownup writer wishes someone had told them this when they were your age. So here it is. Done first.
— L.A. Walton, The Book Maven
From the Maven Catalog
- Kid Free eCourse — Done Is Better
- Kid Master Course — Finish Your Story
- Kid eBook — Perfect Isn't the Goal
- Kid Toolkit — Kid Editor's Toolkit
Write the whole story this week. Don't fix anything until you reach the end. Done first. Then we'll talk about making it better. That's the order. Always.