It’s not a typo, it’s Wabi Sabi.

In a world dominated by technology and automation, perfection can seem inevitable. Yet there is a profound value in the imperfect, the fleeting, and the human. This is the essence of Wabi Sabi.

Originating from Japanese culture, Wabi Sabi celebrates the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and the authenticity of the natural world.

As AI and chatbot-generated content become more prevalent, audiences may yearn for signs of imperfection, those subtle Easter Eggs, artistic nuances, and genuine mistkes that reveal the human beings crafting the art or the message.

Wabi Sabi celebrates beauty in the asymmetry, simplicity, and raw authenticity that exist within our world. It encourages us to let go of our futile obsession with flawlessness and embrace the inevitable transience of life. Nothing is permanent.

The Japanese pottery style known as "Kintsugi" exemplifies Wabi Sabi. Kintsugi involves repairing broken pottery by using gold or silver lacquer, highlighting the cracks and imperfections as part of the object's history to celebrate the beauty in the broken.

In visual storytelling, Wabi Sabi invites filmmakers to embrace the authenticity of imperfection, whether in the set design, costumes, cinematography, or continuity. It can be seen in the deliberate imperfections and raw aesthetics of animation.

In his Oscar-winning film “Pinocchio,” director Guillermo Del Tory encouraged his stop-motion animators to engineer Wabi Sabi into every movement of the characters. Engineering the subtle flaws and imprecision of motion that reflect human reality.

In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, the imperfect and flawed characters, such as Atticus Finch and Boo Radley, showcase the beauty of imperfection. Their complexities, struggles, and growth throughout the story highlight the essence of Wabi Sabi, reminding us that imperfection is an integral part of the human experience.

In "Lost in Translation," director Sofia Coppola captures the subtle beauty of imperfection. The nuanced performances by Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson, combined with the transient moments depicted in the story, evoke a sense of longing and vulnerability. This portrayal of human relationships evokes the Wabi Sabi aesthetic.

In our writing, Wabi Sabi can manifest as the acceptance of imperfect prose and the recognition that beauty lies not only in eloquence but also in the rawness and vulnerability of human expression. Wabi Sabi grants scribblers permission to embrace the imperfect rhythms of language, the nuances of vulnerable characters, and the messy, bittersweet nature of life's most relatable narratives.

Wabi Sabi storytelling invites writers to weave tales that evoke a sense of impermanence via fleeting emotions, relationships, and experiences. The imperfections we craft in our narratives make them relatable and memorable. In a world of perfection and uniformity, following the Wabi Sabi way can be an act of cyberpunk rebellion.

Embrace Imperfection: Allow yourself to create imperfect drafts and sketches. Embrace the beauty of rough edges and unfinished ideas. Don't strive for perfection in the early stages; focus on capturing the essence, humanity, and emotional core of your story.

Celebrate Flawed Characters: Avoid creating idealized and perfect protagonists. Instead, explore the depths of their imperfections; only through their flaws and vulnerabilities will relatability and authenticity emerge.

Find Beauty in Transient Moments: Capture the fleeting nature of life. Focus on evoking emotions and exploring the impermanence of experiences, relationships, and settings. Allow your audience to reflect on the beauty found in the passing of time.

With the influence of AI-generated “content” on the rise, the human touch becomes even more critical. By celebrating imperfection, we can infuse our creative work with evidence of our humanity. So the next time you proofread, spell check, or go full Grammarly, consider leaving a typo or two behind.

Embrace the Wabi Sabi aesthetic to create stories your audience will recognize as celebrating the inevitable imperfection and transient beauty of the human experience.