Opinion: Forget perfect enjoy journey

Midweek. Author Shayla Morgansen, born in Masterton, at the launch of her fantasy series "The Elm Stone Saga" at Hedley's Bookstore. Shayla signs books for fans, and Mum Kareen Morgansen (mi

Last week, I had the privilege of meeting novelist Shayla Morgansen, who returned to her home town to launch the first books in her fantasy series The Elm Stone Saga.

I always enjoy chatting to fellow writers, and Shayla was particularly impressive: at 25, she has not only published two novels, but is writing a third while working as a primary school teacher, doing her Masters, and planning her wedding.

I asked Shayla if she had any advice for aspiring novelists -- for my benefit as much as theirs.

She confessed she was "a terrible perfectionist", with a whole back catalogue left unfinished because she'd "sabotaged herself".

She saw the same struggle in her young creative writing students, who were scared of "getting it wrong".

Then she realised she had to let go of perfectionism completely -- because, as she said, "nothing bad will actually happen if you make a mistake".

I needed to hear that.

Like Shayla, I am a perfectionist. As a reporter, I have spent many an anguished half hour typing and re-typing introductory sentences, because they just haven't sounded quite right.

"You're agonising again", my bosses would say. Translated as: "get moving, we're on a deadline".

Creatively, I'm five scenes into an animated screenplay, and I think I've spent more time deleting in disgust than actually writing.

I sit there, judge, jury and executioner working over time, sentencing those less-than-stellar word combinations to oblivion.

Not exactly inspiring or productive.

But, more than that, it's not enjoyable.

I've recently taken up painting, which I've found extremely healing: a perfect escape from the high-octane urgency of journo life.

But then, I'll smudge something or my colours don't match -- and my stomach clenches all over again.

It's just not quite right. What, then, is the point of a relaxing hobby, if you can't relax?

I think we have, as a society, become fixated on end results. We're unnerved by anything that deviates from the result -- an odd-sounding sentence or a spot of paint outside the lines. A fear of losing control, perhaps? Like Shayla's class, we're petrified of mistakes.

But what if we took her advice, and let it go? Make a start, get it out of our system, embrace all the kinks and quirks? Go back and edit later? Forget about perfect, and just have a bit of fun on the ride? Chances are, we might actually get a bit more done.

A friend of mine often says, "perfect is the enemy of good". Now, thanks to Shayla, I finally understand what that means.