“There have been times when I have repeatedly restarted a...

“There have been times when I have repeatedly restarted a project. Why? It didn’t feel as perfect as I had imagined it would be. The reality is that the story in your head and the story on the page will rarely be identical. 

Write that ‘perfect’ story the best way you know how, and be okay with the differences between the real and the ideal. Over time, I have come to realize that you have to love the version of the story you write, with all of its imperfections. Maybe you will edit your story closer to that ideal. Maybe not. But cherish the story—because it comes from you.”

—Ran Walker is the author of twenty-one books and is the winner of the 2019 Indie Author of the Year and 2019 BCALA Fiction Ebook Awards. He currently serves on the faculty of Hampton University, where he teaches creative writing. Thank Ran for his #CampCarePackage on Twitter, and check out his books on Bookshop.

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Background quote image by Jelleke Vanooteghem on Unsplash.