Though I have no scientific ground to stand on, it’s quite possible that the behavioral pattern typically referred to as “Type A” was first used to describe a typographer. It’s easy to fall into the creative trap of perfectionism, especially when you're trying to design 26 unique characters. Every line and curve feels like it should be original and flawless. But, as I’ve discovered while developing my first display font, it’s also necessary to strike a careful balance between continuously refining every letter and relying on iteration — and intuition — to just get the job done.

The Perks of Perfectionism
The innate desire to be authentic is one of the factors that drives designers to push creative boundaries. Internal pressure often helps to elevate our work from the confines of mediocrity. While working on my new font Pepperoni, for example, some of the letters simply weren’t jiving. The “C” and “G” were particularly troublesome, and I spent hours trying different variations. I wouldn’t accept anything less than a unique character set, and these two letters kept looking like those I’ve already seen. The time spent on these seemingly insignificant details, though, helped convince me that my new digital product would be both visually appealing and potentially worthy of another designer’s font library. Perfectionism can be a powerful motivator.

Creative Paralysis
On the other hand, perfectionism can also become problematic. The more time I spent refining each letter, the more I delayed other essential components. For instance, I originally planned to design the punctuation marks and numbers early last week. Well, that didn’t happen. Does anybody like designing question marks on a Saturday night? Or exclamation points?! Creativity can be hard to come by when you’re emotionally spent.

Still, there’s a reason I set specific deadlines for each project component — I need to launch my digital product on time. Prioritizing timely completion encourages decision-making and provides necessary motivation. By sticking to the self-imposed deadlines, I was able to finalize a complete set of numbers and get a good jump start on the punctuation marks. 

Make it Work
Designers usually don’t have an issue focusing on craft, but careful attention must also be given to functionality. Design a typeface with poor line height, letter-spacing, or kerning, and nobody’s going to be happy with their purchase. And bad reviews are bad for business. Since I’m new to font design, I’m learning quickly through trial and error. In Fontself Maker, I continue to adjust the kerning for each letter manually and export new .otf files after each adjustment. Each variation is tested with a short sentence or headline, then adjusted again. Test, then adjust. The process is a bit monotonous, but this isn’t about achieving perfection — it’s about reaching a certain level of professionalism.

Adapt in Real Time
When I hit a roadblock with a certain character, I tried not to let it derail the entire process. Instead, I charged ahead with other components on my list. Using this approach, I was able to decide on a font name, create several marketing key visuals, and write a compelling product description. I left time to time circle back to the initial character set but, instead of being stuck in a loop of endless revisions, was able to move the project along. 

Perfectly Imperfect
One of the greatest gifts I provided myself at the start of this project was the goal of creating a display font. I’m not trying to design the next Franklin Gothic. A display font doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful. And the quirky nature of Pepperoni provides plenty of room for play. In other words, the pressure to create something useful and of high quality isn’t so great that it’s stifling production.

The way I see it, perfectionism helps to ensure quality, and punctuality encourages progress. For Pepperoni, that means embracing its bold, imperfect charm while still holding myself accountable to professional standards. As I move into the final stages of development, I’m leaning in on the iterative design the process. Some characters need more love. Some settings need more tweaking. But the font is alive, and it’s nearly ready to meet the world.