Perfect, Someday? Why I Finally Drew a Line in the Sand

The first time I typed THE END on a novel draft, I pictured the rest of the journey unfolding like a prestige‑TV montage: a few tasteful edits, a clutch of eager agents, and—smash‑cut—my debut on a bookstore display. Instead, I slipped into a loop worthy of the most convoluted time‑travel plotline: finish a manuscript, get spooked by its rough edges, and immediately chase the shiny promise of a new story.

“Later,” I promised the older drafts—“I’ll polish you later.” Seven years passed.

The Allure of the Next Shiny Idea

There’s a special rush that comes with opening a blank document. New characters don’t judge you. Fresh plot twists haven’t had time to wobble. Each brand‑new project felt like a shot at writing the “perfect” book… until the honeymoon faded and the hard work of revision loomed. Rather than wrestle with sagging middles or tangled subplots, I’d spot another idea sparkling on the horizon and sprint toward it.

Novel after novel piled up—finished in word count only. None of them were truly ready, but starting something new always felt easier than untangling what I’d already made.

What Seven Years of Project‑Hopping Taught Me

Time eventually made three truths impossible to ignore:

1. A draft isn’t a book until it survives revision. First drafts are foundations, not finished houses.

2. Every idea has an expiration date. Themes shift. Passion cools. Wait too long, and a once‑urgent story starts to wilt.

3. My list of stories is infinite; my years are not. If I keep abandoning manuscripts, I’ll die with hard drives full of half‑finished worlds and zero published books.

Realizing that, I felt a jolt of urgency. The blank‑page thrill was costing me completed novels.

Practical Changes I Made

1. Locked a Publication Deadline
   I circled a launch date—no extensions, no excuses. Whether I land an agent or go indie, the book goes live on that day. A ticking clock focuses the mind like nothing else.

2. Serializing Companion Stories
   My universe is too rich to stay bottled up. I’m releasing side tales and prequels online—giving readers a doorway into the world while I hammer the flagship novel into shape.

3. Time‑Boxed Revisions
   Each draft gets a fixed editing window. When the timer dings, the manuscript moves to professional edit, formatting, or upload. No more deserting it for the next shiny idea—the deadline won’t wait.

4. Query in Focused Sprints
   I still pursue traditional publishing, but I refuse to let an inbox full of silence derail the launch. I query a tight batch, iterate, then press on. Representation before my deadline would be wonderful; missing the window is not an option.

5. Multiple Projects, One Roadmap
   While the flagship novel barrels toward release, future books and serials simmer in the background—​but only in scheduled slots. Creativity stays alive, yet revision remains king.

Imperfect, Published, Alive

Will that first book be immaculate? Doubtful. But “imperfect” doesn’t mean “unreadable”—it means “human.” I’d rather ship the best story I can today than abandon it for a shinier tomorrow. Art is a conversation, not a museum piece. Releasing now lets real readers, not just my anxieties, guide the next draft’s compass.

Perfection can wait in the wings. I’ve got a deadline—​and an ever‑shortening calendar—calling curtain up.