#165 - Why Great Communication Requires Getting Messy
And how life is always a messy first draft
I am a true believer in the ugly first draft as a writer. The letting go of self-judgement and criticism and just putting words to paper. Starting somewhere with something. And then editing like life (or my story) depends on it. That is how you find beauty in what at first seemed a mess. Revising, re-crafting, and re-writing. But starting and starting somewhere.
As I’ve said before, the key to great communication in any medium is editing. Embracing that the first draft will be messy, accepting that mess and imperfection and then dive into the fun of creation from there. But I’ve also recently come to realize that life, in so many ways, is a messy first draft. And while there are lessons to be learned and the opportunity to try again and restart and shift, it is utterly impossible to go back and edit (unless you’ve discovered a time machine and are holding out on the rest of us). And why would we want to? That mess, those experiences (the good and bad) made us the people we are today—perfectly, beautifully imperfect.
Marie Forleo, a business coach and teacher I’ve followed for years (and whose online programs I’m also a mentor coach in), has a saying that I hold onto and share often with folks: start before you’re ready. Let go of the need to know everything and to be perfectly prepared before you dive in. Marie was first talking about starting a business, but I have seen it applied across the board to life. Dive in, accept that life is a messy first draft and do what you can to learn from it and enjoy the process.
I’m not generally here to give life advice, but storytelling and making stories is so much about living your life and sharing what you learn in the process. So embrace your messy first draft and see what you discover about yourself as you do.
A Story Well Told
If you are at all interested in fantasy novels, you may have heard of Sarah J. Mass. She’s the writer of the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series. I just finished her first series, A Throne of Glass, and feel like a better and reader and writer for the experience. It is a masterclass in character and craft development—as you move through the eight-book series, you see her writing and storytelling get better. Someone took a chance on her (because the first book is interesting but not life changing) and allowed her to grow and expand as a writer through this. If you’re at all into or curious about fantasy, I’d encourage you to give this series a try.
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