As aspiring comic book writers, you might often find yourself overthinking every decision, from crafting the perfect plot to creating complex characters. It’s easy to become so consumed by the desire to make everything perfect that you end up paralyzed, unable to move forward with our stories. This reminds me of an old fable about the centipede and the rabbit.
In the story, a rabbit approaches a centipede and asks, “Which one of your legs is the fastest?” The centipede, who had been walking along effortlessly, starts to overthink the question. Suddenly, the once subconscious action of walking becomes a conscious thought, leaving the centipede stuck in place, unable to move.
Moving from Inaction to Action
In my own writing, I’ve often found myself relating to the centipede in the old fable, overthinking every decision and becoming paralyzed by the desire for perfection. However, my experience working in the fast-paced startup world has taught me the importance of adopting a “bias toward action” mindset, which prioritizes taking action, making decisions, and learning from the results.
When I was writing my miniseries “Dead End Kids,” I knew I had to embrace this “bias toward action” approach to overcome my perfectionist tendencies. I had the story idea in my head, but I was hesitant to start writing, worried that it wouldn’t be good enough. That’s when I decided to challenge myself: I would write the entire first draft of the miniseries in just eight days.
By setting this ambitious goal, I forced myself to focus on getting the story down on paper, rather than getting caught up in the details and the pursuit of perfection. I knew that the first draft would be rough, but I also knew that I could always go back and revise it later. The important thing was to take action and make progress.
By setting this ambitious goal, I forced myself to focus on getting the story down on paper, rather than getting caught up in the details and the pursuit of perfection.
For those eight days, I poured myself into the writing process. I didn’t worry about crafting perfect dialogue or describing every detail of the setting. Instead, I focused on capturing the essence of the story and the characters, letting the words flow onto the page without judgment. It was a liberating experience, and by the end of the eight days, I had a complete first draft of “Dead End Kids.”
Done is Better than Perfect
Of course, the first draft was far from perfect. There were plot holes, inconsistencies, and areas that needed significant improvement. But that was okay because I had taken the first step. I had something tangible to work with, and I could now focus on refining and improving the story through the revision process.
This experience taught me a valuable lesson about the power of taking action, even if the result isn’t perfect. By embracing the “bias toward action” mindset, I was able to overcome my perfectionist paralysis and make significant progress on my writing project. It reminded me of the importance of breaking free from the trap of overthinking, just like the centipede in the fable.
In the startup world, there’s a saying that “done is better than perfect.” This sentiment emphasizes the importance of completing tasks and moving forward, rather than getting stuck in the pursuit of perfection. By writing the first draft of “Dead End Kids” in eight days, I embodied this principle and learned that taking action, even if imperfect, is better than remaining stuck in the planning phase.
In the startup world, there’s a saying that “done is better than perfect.” This sentiment emphasizes the importance of completing tasks and moving forward, rather than getting stuck in the pursuit of perfection.
Putting It All Together
As aspiring comic book writers, we can all learn from the fable of the centipede and the rabbit and apply the “bias toward action” mindset to our creative process. By prioritizing action, embracing the iterative process, and being willing to learn from both successes and failures, we can break free from the paralysis of perfectionism and bring our unique stories to life.
So, the next time you find yourself stuck, remember the centipede and the power of taking action. Set a goal, start writing, and trust that the revision process will help you refine your work. Embrace the “bias toward action” mindset, and let your comic book writing journey unfold, one imperfect but courageous step at a time.
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Frank Gogol is a San Francisco-based comic book writer. He is the writer of Dead End Kids (2019), GRIEF (2018), No Heroine (2020), Dead End Kids: The Suburban Job (2021), and Unborn (2021) as well as his work on the Power Rangers franchise.
Gogol’s first book, GRIEF, was nominated for the Ringo Award for Best Anthology in 2019. Gogol and his second book, Dead End Kids, were named Best Writer and Best New Series of 2019, respectively, by the Independent Creator Awards.