When You Think You're Done, You're Just Beginning

"When you think you're done, you're just beginning," holds as true for writing as it does for artwork.

In the process of illustration it's visually obvious. I start with rough sketches and then do a sketch that I predict will be 'the one.'

For a few minutes, maybe even a day or two...I believe it is 'the one'...that I've gone as far as I can...

But then I see...I could do better and more ideas start to come...and then I push myself.

New sketches evolve and a new 'the one' appears...it is almost always obviously better than the previous versions.
This process continues until it's just time to get it out into the world.

I use illustration as the example here because it's obvious at a glance the improvement that comes from pushing oneself further...of enlisting the critical eye in yourself and other people that you trust.

This same principle applies to writing, but you have to sit still and read to see it...but just the same, you do rough sketches and write that initial first draft.

It's important to remember first drafts are rough and not precious...they are the achievement of the first step...then the process begins of pushing oneself further into the story...again enlisting readers that you trust to give you honest feedback...honest...okay, you can have someone read it who will love it and stroke your ego...but know that that's all that person is for...you really want the people who will give you the pros and cons of what you've written...people who will "push you to be your best possible self."

The more I write, draw, paint...the more I see it's all about doing doing doing...working on the craft, delving deeper into the issue at hand, working on clarity, being honest about who you are and what you want to accomplish through the piece...and then continuing this process over and over.

We are lead to believe that any art form just flows out perfect...it looks that way in movies...books...etc...but that's not true...every artist of any kind puts in the hours...it's not one draft...it's 20+...it's not one sketch...it's many, etc.

Once I understood this, my process got easier...I stopped judging myself on first drafts that were far from ready. Now, I understand that stinky first drafts are just step one...and I appreciate them for that.