Perfectionism is not about being perfect. We tend to think that perfectionists obsess over word choice or comma placement simply because of incredibly high standards, but it goes deeper than that. In her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, Brené Brown explains, “There’s a significant difference between perfectionism and healthy striving or striving for excellence. Perfectionism… Read more »
I’m a writer. Not an author, mind you. A writer. And I have the life of a writer. This distinction was never more apparent until October 2018, when I overheard some colleagues in the English department office of the high school where I teach, talking about an article one of them had published in a… Read more »
As writers, I’m sure we’ve all heard our fair share of colorful writing advice from famous authors. From the controversial “Write drunk, edit sober” (frequently attributed to Ernest Hemingway, but actually sourced from a novel by Peter de Vries) to the unorthodox suggestion of “Get a cat” (one of my personal favorites, courtesy of Muriel… Read more »
I have wanted to write for as long as I could remember. … No, that’s not really the truth. I’ve wanted to express myself for as long as I can remember. … No, that’s not it either. I’ve wanted. Now we’re getting somewhere. I want. Yeah, right there. Writing is another form of digging all… Read more »
I’ve been a perfectionist almost as long as I’ve been a writer. I strove for good grades in school, agonized over homework for hours, and practiced the heck out of dance routines. The work ethic I developed as a result was driven by my determination to do well, a desire to please my family, and… Read more »
