The Comparison Trap: How to Stop Measuring Your Draft Against Someone Else’s Finished Book

You ever find yourself scrolling through social media and suddenly… bam. Another author announcement. Cover reveal. Book launch. A glowing blurb from a big name. Maybe it’s someone you follow. Maybe it’s someone you’ve never heard of. But in that moment, you feel the creeping thought:

“I’m falling behind.”

You’re not. But I get why it feels that way.

This post is for the writers knee-deep in draft two (or stuck halfway through chapter six), watching the world seem like it's finishing books at a speed that defies physics and coffee consumption.

Let’s talk about the comparison trap—and how to write your story without letting someone else’s highlight reel wreck your momentum.

The Trap, Explained

The comparison trap is simple: it’s when you judge your in-progress work against someone else’s finished product.

It’s like comparing your half-built treehouse to a luxury hotel and wondering why your stairs creak.

You might be reading author newsletters, scrolling TikTok, or watching a friend drop their second book this year. And it’s not that you aren’t happy for them—you are. Mostly. Probably. But then that voice kicks in:

“You should be further along.”

“Why haven’t you published anything yet?”

“Everyone else is doing it faster and better.”

That voice is lying.

What You're Actually Comparing

When you compare your messy, honest, vulnerable draft to someone else’s edited, typeset, cover-designed, blurbed, and blessed-by-a-PR-team finished book… you’re not being fair to your work.

You're comparing:

Your process to their product
Your day one to their year five
Your imposter syndrome to their highlight reel

Even the “bad” books on the shelf went through a process. They were finished. Revised. Copyedited. Printed. You’re still in the raw, creative trenches—and that’s exactly where you’re supposed to be.

So… What Do You Do Instead?

You don’t need to shut off social media or hide in a plot bunker. But you do need a reframe.

Start with this: you’re writing a story only you can tell.

Progress isn’t a race, and writing isn’t a leaderboard. Try these low-pressure mindset shifts:

Track your own milestones—scenes finished, plot problems solved, words that didn’t suck.
Replace jealousy with curiosity. Ask: “What can I learn from their process?” or “How did they get here?”
If something’s a trigger (certain accounts, newsletters, hashtags), mute it. Seriously. You have permission.
Most importantly? Return to your story. Because you’ve got one. And it deserves your focus—not your self-doubt.

The Plot Dude Perspective

Now, if I may channel the inner Dude here for a second…

The Plot Dude wouldn’t stress about someone else’s Amazon rank.

He’d pour a fresh cup, grab the notebook, and write one good scene.

Then maybe go bowling.

In other words: take care of your process. Stay in your lane. (Unless your story demands a wild detour—then absolutely take that exit.)

You’re Not Behind. You’re On Your Way.

No one gets to define your pace but you. The writer who finishes is the one who keeps going—not the one who writes fastest or posts the most updates.

So if you needed a little reminder today? Here it is:

You’re not too late.

You’re not too slow.

You’re exactly where your story needs you to be.

And if you’re still not sure what kind of storyteller you are, take the quiz—it’ll help you align your writing process with who you actually are, not who you think you’re supposed to be.

👉 Take the Writer Type Quiz

Stay chill. Keep writing.

The plot abides.

– The Plot Dude

Find Your Planning Type

“Plot Nihilists believe in nothing. Don’t be like them.”