NaNoWriMo Day1-2

[meridian_rose]

I wrote at Tumblr about my NaNoWriMo day one woes

Today I made procrastination cookies


650 words so far today.

There is something I want to talk about, and I would especially like to hear from other writers on this one.
Going back through my older WiPs, posting finished stories and archiving others into "probably never" and "maybe", made me nostalgic for fandoms I've not written in for a while and fandoms I'd love to read more in (but they're inactive).
Reading those unfinished fics also made me worry that I used to be better than I am now. You're supposed to improve with practice. And yes there's a fic I always point to as the one I'm most proud of that came after those WiPs but before my most recent work.
Am I looking back with a less critical eye on these older works than to newer ones *because* of my expectations that current works should be perfect?
Is this one of the reasons I'm having so much trouble this NaNo, fear of the imperfect? Do any of you ever feel this way? If so, how do you get past that?

(cross-posted)

Comments

[daria234.livejournal.com]

I wonder that about past fic too - when I feel like my old fic is better. I don't know if it is, or just my perception tbh. I do think that perfect is the opposite of done, and I need to tell myself that more often lol so I actually listen to my own good advice lol.

I do miss some old fandoms.

By the way, I love just the very premise of procrastination cookies. Like, I feel like procrastination cookies taste so scrumptious and wonderful that they make you forget what you should be doing, and I feel like these should be marketed and sold, because who in their right mind wouldn't want procrastination cookies??

[meridian_rose]

You're so right and that's something I was starting to think about last night after a conversation elsewhere. You put it so well: perfect is the opposite of done. Those older WiPs were good but not finished and what's the point in that? If I finish more things I can edit them.

LOL if only I listened to my own advice, so I know the feeling!

They taste pretty good for basic plain cookies and not like failure :) I wish I could share them with you all! That's a fun idea for a fic, cookies that let you relax and stop worrying about all the things you need to be doing!