THE PROBLEM WITH PERFECT
By the time you read this, there will be upwards of nine versions of this piece on my laptop. Granted, some of the earlier iterations will contain notes to self so niche that their sense is lost on future me. But after version three or four, I’m nitpicking. Tracked changes would reveal the addition then subtraction of countless commas and clauses that neither improve nor detract from the finished print piece and, were it not for deadlines, I’d probably still be tinkering with it, until it’s… right. What I really mean – but don’t want to say – is that I want it to be perfect.
Complaining about being a perfectionist in print feels, well, a bit mortifying. It’s Hermione Granger filling out her Duke of Edinburgh application; it’s gross. So feel free to cast disdain my way while I tell you why people like me are putting more than likeability on the line. Research suggests that perfectionists
