Luckily, the answer to this question is “NO!”
First of all, there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection would mean that anyone who comes across your book (screenplay, short story, etc.) would love it and not want anything changed. This is impossible because every human being is different. People who love romances, won’t like your science fiction novel as much. People who love science fiction may not be too keen on your thriller. Your thrilling, sci-fi, romance still won’t be appealing to people who are into memoirs or autobiographies.
The “perfection dragon” that you shouldn’t be chasing is covered in the Writerwerx University series of e-books on planning, writing, and editing your manuscript.
The Proof is in the Reviews
If you’re struggling with this idea that perfection doesn’t exist, just go look at the latest work from your favorite author. Someone you think writes “perfect” books. Do they receive hundreds of five-star reviews? No. They may have plenty of reviews and ratings, but at least some of those will be less than five stars. That’s normal. Even the supposed “masters” of writing are not universally loved. There are people who hate the Harry Potter series, couldn’t make it through The Grapes of Wrath, or think War and Peace is entirely too long to even start, let alone finish.
Whether it’s the length, the content, the grammar, or the cover, there are a million reasons why someone might not have a five-star experience with your work. That’s the nature of creative endeavors. But remember that you’re not actually writing for those people that don’t like your work anyway. You’re writing first for yourself and your own love of the craft. Second, you’re writing for “your people.” Meaning those that love your world, genre, or style as much as you do. As long as you and they are relatively happy, you’re doing great and should just keep going! 😀
