One thing AI is good at, and we aren’t, is it is perfect. If you ask AI to write some piece, it will generate perfect paragraphs, grammatically correct, straight to the point, formal, with good use of language, and so on. For us to do that, it will take years; perhaps we will never be able to do it. That’s the beauty.
You cannot be perfect at any creative job. It’s next to impossible. Ask any creative person if they are satisfied with their work, and they would say no. Flaws are obvious to the creator. He/she keeps on working till the product reaches its desired output. With years of effort and time, the product falls short in the eyes of a creative person. Even if it is a masterpiece for readers or viewers.
A creative person chisels his art piece according to his vision or imagination. Often our vision is too bold to translate it into the real world. But it shouldn’t deter us from pursuing our creative calling. We should, instead, accept the fact that we cannot attain complete, 100 percent fulfillment and satisfaction with any creative job.
When I started writing my first book, Immature, I didn’t have any experience in writing. I just completed a short story, which a few people read. I don’t know anything about structure, world building, and the process of publishing. But the urge to write was so strong that I sat down and wrote my book. I managed to write 4 drafts and self-published the book at the end.
I must admit that I knew the flaws. I knew where readers might feel the story rushed. I got the exact feedback I was expecting. Although readers said they loved my characters, from a story perspective, the ending could have been more novel, or at least, the treatment could have been better.
If I had thought I should have more writing experience or everything should be perfect before I wrote, I wouldn’t have written my first book. You learn by doing, not thinking. Everyone has their insecurities and inhibitions. But what matters is producing work irrespective of how we are feeling. You need to show up. That’s it.
The first drafts are always worse. Unreadable, inconsistencies, mistakes, and so on. But you can shape it up as you like. You can always edit and rewrite. Write more drafts. Every draft brings the book closer to your vision.
Don’t think you need to read or have writing experience before you start. Put your ideas on paper, play with them, see what works and what doesn’t, come up with scenes, put them in an order, and tighten the screenplay. Write it as a first draft. Read it in its entirety. You will understand what is to keep and change.
Creative works don’t have to be perfect. Their job is to make us feel belonged, heard, seen, validated, and appreciated. And flaws are what make us human. Flaws help to build the connection with viewers or readers. They make us feel a creative work is real.
Start today what you have been pending to do. Do a little. Come up with a title or read a research paper. Little by little momentum builds up, and before you know it, you are already writing a book or painting a masterpiece.
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