You’re going to mess up — and that’s a good thing!

Most of us were taught to avoid mistakes at all costs. Get it right the first time. Don’t waste materials. Don’t look foolish.

The trouble is, that mindset is absolute poison when it comes to creativity. It keeps us cautious, hesitant, and — more often than not — stuck. It certainly does for me.

That's why my ears perked up at a recent author event, organised by Topping’s Books – perennial winners of the Cavan Scott Award for Best Bookshop in the Known Galaxy.

On stage was TV and film legend Nick Offerman, famous for his role as Ron Swanson in sitcom Parks and Recreation. He was there promoting his new book Little Wookchucks: Offerman Workshop's Guide to Tools and Tomfoolery.

I'll be honest – it was Ron that got me and my wife through the door. I’m no woodworker although I’ve long admired Offerman’s genuine love of making things.

Nick was exactly as we hoped he would be — hilarious, but also kind and warm, as happy to talk about Parks and Rec as he was about his book.

He also said something that’s stuck with me ever since:

One of the wonderful things about woodworking is going in knowing you’re going to make mistakes.

Even now after decades of doing this, I buy extra wood, no matter what I’m making, so I can screw it up a few times. I’m making a new kind of cut, and need to figure out what you need to do to get it right so buy cheaper wood to do that on.

That’s one of the things that should keep you from feeling daunted. You know you’re going to screw it up, I guarantee. You’re guaranteed to mess it up, so you don’t have to worry about it.

I love that. I love the honesty and the pragmatism of it. And it spoke to me because I hate making mistakes. I beat myself up about it all the time. And it’s that, rather than feeling daunted, that stops me from starting projects from time to time.

Perfection gets in the way

It’s one of the reasons I started going to a lino cutting class at the beginning of last year. Yes, it was to give me a hobby that wasn’t related to my comics/writing/geeky stuff, but also to try and tackle the perfectionism that sometimes holds me back. I knew I wouldn’t be able to get everything right. I knew I would make mistakes and I have — boy have I made mistakes, but that's all part of learning something new.

I’m not cured yet. A few weeks back, I joked that my prints were a little rough and ready and my classmate Sam — who produces the most exquisite work – said ‘You’re always really hard on yourself.’

He’s right, I am. But I am learning. A couple of Saturdays ago, I tried a new carving technique and mucked it up royally. There was nothing I could do but chuck the lino in the bin and start all over again. And I did it. With hardly any swearwords to speak of.

Look at me, ma. I’m all grown up.

Learn to fail

Any creative process is going to mean making mistakes. It usually means you’re trying new things. Pushing yourself.

As a certain wrinkled green Jedi master said:

Writers can learn a lot from Offerman’s approach. Not everything is going to be perfect, not every line a work of genius — especially when you're just starting out. But as with all things your work will improve the more you practice.

Best of all you haven’t got to produce the literary equivalent of a perfectly polished dining table straight out of the gate. Like Nick, you can practice on offcuts. Little character sketches, snatches of dialogue, short scenes or even blog posts. Each mini-project becomes a safe creative space where you can experiment without consequence or rebuke – especially from yourself!

We will all mess it up from time to time. It's good. In fact, it's great. It means we've stopped fearing failure and are free to create. Even veteran craftspeople with decades of experience under their belt expect to fail — which is precisely why they succeeds.

Forget what you were taught at school – practice doesn't make you perfect. Instead, it gives you perspective, calming you down when things go awry. Then, after a shake of your head and maybe a soothing cup of tea, you can take a step back, see what went wrong and have another go.

Let’s go make some mistakes.