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This problem sounds deeper than writing – it sounds like an intense case of discouragement, and maybe even self-hatred (I know, loaded word). I want to encourage you that you are a beautifully and wonderfully made creation of God, and that God looks at and admires every word of your work, even the unfinished pieces.

What I think you’re doing is that you’re writing and writing and writing trying to get to the perfect ending, the grand conclusion, the a la Trois de finale. But here’s the thing: no ending that you write will ever be good enough for you. Why? Because you think that whatever ending you think of will be so terrible that you are scared of writing it.

So: no ending that you write will ever be good enough for you. So why don’t we just end it…here? Where it is? Right now?

Just think about it for a minute. Imagine that the story ends with the last line that you actually wrote. I would strongly recommend going through all of those scary unfinished Word Processing Documents with their gap-like imperfections staring at you from the depths of the textual black lagoon, and add two words to the end of each one: THE END. This will no doubt produce some things that are terrifying, and some things that are hilarious, and your perfectionist brain will likely scream its terrified self off for a few minutes, but it has lost. You. Are. Done.

The story is now finished. Begin revising. 😛

With your story. And your perfectionist brain, too.  It hasn’t really done anything for you except causing you agony and misery and produce unfinished stories. Your worth as a human being is not based on the quality of your work (or how unfinished your work is) , it is based on Jesus’ finished work on the cross. I mean, we’re all unfinished works in progress as the sanctification process goes on, too (as per the Mandisa song :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejycllx5iwA). Even God has unfinished work.

With that in mind, it’s okay to end unfinished work and give it to other people and even publish. It’s okay to leave something undone, too. Sometimes that undoneness will be permanent, because sometimes even Christians can start pieces out of sinful purposes or them not understanding what God has in store.  But if you’re having anxiety or frustration or fear over a piece and the fact that it isn’t done, just end it. Don’t subject yourself to any more misery. If you don’t enjoy it, you get to escape. Escape Room pass code: THE END.

Enjoy your freedom.