What’s Holding you Back?

One of the things that holds me back is a word I said to another writer friend, that writing is something I’d like to “master”.

I was surprised at her response, which looked at the downside of mastering something (”to know everything there is to know about something” and how it’s impossible).  It made me realize that the quest to be a perfect writer might be holding me back from being a decent writer, then a good one, then a better one, and so on.

Because it is in the doing that you learn to improve your craft.

I also do web design, something I also stress out over “mastering”, and I got this solid piece of advice: you don’t have to be a web guru to sell your designs or code.  There is a market for every level and as you improve your level gets better.

I think this applies to writing too.  Have you not read early books by writers you love, and go “yuck”? Or “eh.” Or even “this one’s better”?

I’m also an EXTREMELY discerning reader, so I could be a lot harder on myself than someone else. So yea, what I’m saying is that maybe I should get my stuff out there, after I tweak a bit more and get some reliable critiques/first readers.  Maybe “Commoner Days” can get pitched in March at the 2010 Write Stuff Conference. It’s a worthy goal and then I’m onto to write my historical romance.

What do you think?  Do you feel the need to “master” something before you sell it?  Is that perfectionism?