Not long ago a friend told me she had someone she wanted to introduce me to. Let’s call this person Cathy.

Cathy, my friend told me, had just published a book!

As an editor, I’m intimately aware of how much time, effort and energy it takes to cross the threshold from “writer” to “author.” Anybody who has published a book is a bit of a heroine in my world. 

So I was all in for the meeting. The three of us made plans for lunch.

When the day arrived, Cathy showed up with her book in hand. I congratulated her immediately on completing it, and gave her all sorts of praise.“Oh, it was easy,” Cathy said, shushing me. “I did an online program and it only took six weeks.”

I’m afraid I’m not always great at hiding my true feelings, especially when it comes to book-related matters. Cathy responded to my semi-horrified expression by talking just a bit faster.

“I mean it’s not my best work,” she said apologetically. Then she brightened up. “But I mean, done is good enough, right?”

Want to know why this simple sentence makes me want to cry like Oprah? I’m laying it all out for you in this week’s video:

• What “done is good enough” really means
• When, exactly, it applies—to the book-writing process
• Why I don’t want you to ever, ever, ever say that when handing someone your finished book

My aspiring author friends, for the love of all that is good and true, please watch this video.

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