"IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT!"

                          

                                                 Over Tweaking Your Manuscript

            Most everyone desires perfection, in one way or another, in a world filled with imperfections, this isn’t always possible. We see it everywhere we look, in television commercials, where only the best takes and money shots are presented to us that was fortunate not to meet with a terrible end on the cutting room floor. Across the Internet and pages of magazines, where airbrushing is law, only the best is the winning perception.

It is prescribed and drilled into our heads that nothing less than perfect is acceptable.

I agree that you should always strive to be the best in all that you do.

I for one am just plain neurotic when it comes to most things, especially my writing. I can admit that I am sometimes overly obsessive when it comes to my work. I proofread, re-read, then read again, re-write, delete rearrange, cut and paste, move around paragraphs, until I feel it is just right.

But sometimes, it is best to just leave things as they are and move on.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve over tweaked paragraphs and chapters that were absolutely fine. Yet my obsessive, compulsive behavior derailed me and my desire to make everything just so, depleted precious time.

Listen I am not saying that perfection isn’t important but is it obtainable?

I believe perfection is much like beauty, in the eye’s of the beholder what I see doesn’t always appear the same to someone else.

What I think may need a little more work might already be just right.

Over tweaking, is one of the things that can derail any writer because we are super sensitive when it comes to our work. Therefore, we always try to put forth our best efforts in making what we do our absolute greatest.

I am the worlds worst when it comes to over tweaking. This is why I can talk about it so freely. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, sometimes it is prudent to check and double check to ensure you’ve tied up all possible loose ends.

Great writing and even greater editing is what makes best sellers.

However, there are dangers when it comes to overly fine-tuning anything. Such as guitar strings, if we twist too much, guess what happens? Yep, they break.

Sometimes you can destroy what is already perfection by demonstrating this type of behavior.

It is imperative to leave well enough alone. Easier said than done, yes I know.

Nevertheless, it can rob you of your creative flow, when you feel the need to keep checking behind yourself.

Over tweaking, is a sign of a very disturbing disorder associated with the need to be in control of everything.

This can be detrimental in many ways. If you want to cause a train wreck, sabotage your efforts, this is certainly the path to total destruction of all your hard work.

No one likes a nitpicker.

Okay I understand almost isn’t good enough, and I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with striving to be the best.

What I am saying is that there are limits to everything and knowing when to quit is a great exercise of wisdom.

Discipline is a code of behavior. As a child, this training was applied throughout my daily life to teach instruction, regulation, order, and ultimately to obey authority.

This is part of my daily practice as an adult and how I control the urge when my extreme need to obsess tries to take over.

Too much of anything never ends well, what might have started with the potential to be great falters and ends up a heaping mess.

Hey if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Doesn’t make sense to disassemble when everything is already where it should be.

Maybe not all but some of us display an overwhelming need to be in control of every situation, no matter what it apples to.

I have a very helpful technique to dissuade others and myself from this destructive distracting behavior. It’s called letting go.

After you’ve made all the necessary changes every detail is on point, no grammatical errors or any others exist and flows as it should, wave bye-bye.

Over tweaking, is overkill. It is the equivalent of a parent on the first day of school who dreads releasing their child into the wilds of the world for the first time.

It’s okay. You’ve made every preparation for this moment. All is well, no need to worry and so you can rest easy in knowing you’ve done your best.

In the end, remember, there is always room for improvement, but you cannot fix what is not broken.

 It’s okay to be precise, but never to the point of second guessing your ability, your work, and your gifts.