The Impedance of Perfection

            Perhaps this is a personal trait, perhaps it is common. But one thing is for certain, beginning is always the most difficult step. This applies to most things, but specifically I am talking about the process of making something… anything. Anytime you set out to produce something, tangible or not, the most difficult place to start is the start. So we plan. We think, and we ruminate, and we jot down notes, and we make schedules, and we imagine what it will be like when it is finished, and we even think about what we will make after we are done making the thing we have not yet started making. We have a whole series of books planned before chapter one ever gets written.

            We plan because it is easy and makes us feel accomplished, and to some extent it is very necessary. If you try to write a novel with a vague idea in mind and no plan you probably won’t end up with a very coherent story. Conversely, if you never begin writing the novel in the first place all you will have is a story about how you were going to write a novel but never got around to it. This is a tired story, let me tell you. But we can’t ever seem to bring ourselves out of the planning phase and into the actual implementation. The problem, I believe, is that we are impeded by the idea of perfection. This is our first novel and it has to be just right. Of course the novel to which I keep referring is a metaphorical novel that you can replace with whatever project you’ve had simmering for so long now that you forgot you even owned a stove. Yes the metaphorical novel is now a metaphorical porridge, it seems fitting with the just right thing I mentioned earlier.

            But while we are so meticulously planning our children’s book about anthropomorphized bears living in the woods and mastering the art of cooking, giving no credence to the concept of editing, we hesitate to ever move forward with the initial sketches because we do not want to do a disservice to the distinct blending of blondes and browns that characterize papa bears coat. Don’t worry it is faux fur coat he purchased from a fair-trade dealer, papa bear is quite progressive. So quit worrying so much about whether momma bear should wear Nike or Reebok and just do it.

            -AMS