Write It Ugly: Dismantling Perfectionism to Finish the Damn/Darn Book

Perfectionism is the villain of too many unfinished manuscripts—especially in speculative fiction, where worldbuilding and big ideas can trap us in endless revision. In this session, editor and book coach Brooke Black brings her most beloved and requested session, Write It Ugly, to the Speculative Fiction Writers' Summit for the first time, tailored specifically for fantasy and sci-fi writers.

You’ll learn how to identify the hidden perfectionist traps that keep writers stuck—like over-researching, chasing the “perfect” first line, or obsessing over feedback too early. We’ll talk about messy drafts, ugly sentences, and why done is better than perfect when it comes to finishing your book. You'll leave with practical tools, mindset shifts, and a renewed sense of permission to get the words out—imperfectly.

This session is for any writer who’s tired of letting perfectionism delay their galaxy-shaking, magic-infused, genre-defying stories.