The '85% Rule' from J.E. Sunde

A Book Deadline Bunker Measuring Stick

The past few months I’ve been in book deadline mode and the finish line is coming closer and closer, with final wrap-up dates in January.
A recurring challenge I run into while creating art for a book is getting stuck bouts of
perfecting,
fussing,
tweaking
on specific pieces of the project. This is a particular problem while on deadline, because the aim of the game is making steady progress across the board while working within a limited time period.

I once asked my friend Jon—the singer-songwriter J.E. Sunde—how he manages this when he’s written a new record (like his newest one here) and only has a specific time window in which to get all the recording done. He gave me this great nugget of wisdom…while he’s recording each song, he has an 85% Rule:

“I ask myself ‘has this version reached 85% or better?’ If so, move on. It’s done.
85% is perfectly sufficient for what you’re going for. If not, make another attempt.
Going for 100% is impossible and gets you something that’s overworked.” ~J.E. Sunde

It’s been a helpful measuring stick for me while working on big projects. While I can’t say that I don’t still get obsessively stuck at times, once I notice it’s happening I stop and review the work, asking “Has this reached 85% yet? What does it need to get there?”

85% Or Better - art for ‘What Rosa Brought’

With the coming end of the calendar year and the feeling of “trying to wrap everything up” that comes with it, can we shoot for 85% done (or 75%…70%…65%…), instead of 100%? How about calling the fray of unfinished threads some ‘added character’ to whatever this year was for you?

Happy Holidays and an Unfinished New Year to you!

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This post is brought to you by WHAT ROSA BROUGHT, my new picture book with author Jacob Sager Weinstein: