Why Imperfect Writing Is the Most Valuable Skill You Can Build Online
What a child’s first letter to Santa can teach us about hitting publish
My Medium friends can read this story over there as well.
When my eldest son Ewan wrote his first letter to Santa he asked where he should send it.
He was in the infants at the time, so I wrote clearly on a piece of paper in my best teacher’s handwriting:
Santa Claus
North Pole
After much concentration with pencil in hand and his tongue slightly poking out, he copied it beautifully on the envelope. It said:
Sponty Cloptus
Nonty Pole
Ewan is seventeen now doing his A Levels, and I still bring it up every Christmas. Not to embarrass him (too much), but because that moment contains a truth most adults forget:
Children create with courage we spend decades unlearning.
They start before they know how, and try without qualification.
And they don’t stop to ask if it’s good enough (they just show you what they’ve done because they’re proud).
Creators, on the other hand, hesitate. We polish, fret, and compare.
All in the pursuit of accuracy, to avoid committing, and while sacrificing momentum.
Perfection Isn’t Proof of Skill, Momentum Is
Over twenty-five years of writing, I’ve learned that clarity comes from the reps you take, not the planning you do.
Successful writers aren’t fearless. They simply accept that imperfect work is the cost of discovering their voice.
That’s why your “Sponty Cloptus” moments are not errors to hide, they’re reasons to celebrate.
Because they’re markers of someone who is brave enough to begin.
Three Practical Ways to Rebuild That Childlike Creative Momentum
1. Publish something today that feels half finished
I’m not saying publish if it’s terrible, just a little unpolished.
This is the discipline that teaches you to move through resistance rather than negotiate with it.
Once you publish a few imperfect pieces, the fear of “not being ready” loses its power.
And I should know, the canon of ‘Loz literature’ includes some utter tripe (and that’s putting it mildly).
2. Stop trying to choose your niche (let your writing patterns reveal it)
A niche doesn’t just appear in your head like a stock image of a lightbulb in a brain. It appears over time in your body of work.
That’s why you shouldn’t even pick a niche at first, but just 3-5 core topic buckets - based on interests, things you want to learn and stuff you’re good at.
After 20–30 published pieces, you’ll see recurring themes: what you actually enjoy writing, what readers respond to, and where your curiosity pulls you.
And aside from your Substack or Medium stats, if you link Google Analytics and Search Console to your account, you’ll also get valuable feedback on what’s popular and engaging in search.
That’s your treasure map. You won’t find the chest of gold until you start walking.
3. Build a 30-minute writing ritual (and do your best to stick to it)
Consistency is built on ritual, not willpower.
A fixed daily writing time - perhaps before work or when everyone has gone to bed - removes self doubt and helps build your habit. In this way, you train yourself that “This is when I write.”
Over time, 30 minutes becomes an hour. Quantity becomes quality, and your daily habit becomes confidence.
That’s why your imperfect drafts are not detours to be forgotten.
They are the path.
So like my young son learning to write, let’s all have the courage to embrace our own writing vision - mistakes included.
And you know what? Because Ewan tried his hardest with his Christmas list and used his best handwriting, he got plenty of presents in his stocking that year.
His letter made it all the way to the Nonty Pole safely, and Sponty Cloptus understood every word.