Wording, rewording and then rewording some more

I write a lot like how I speak. Not completely the same, I don't think - my writing can be pretty formal at times. But there are similarities.
I like to imagine I'm just telling a story to someone in person. It's not quite the same of course - imagine having a conversation with someone and they suddenly go on a bit of a monologue, proceeding to tell you a story for hours without you saying a word in between. Not nice.
But if you break it up, like a bedtime story, I think it's plausible. I want to write like one of those wise elderly people, who have tons of stories to tell. Not long ago I read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, and to me it's a perfect example of this kind of storytelling. He writes relatively simply, and there's a clear purpose to his writing. People (generally!) don't speak unless they have a purpose for doing so, or to make a point, and so it is with Achebe's writing - it's like one of the clan elders he describes is telling you the story. It's all part of the Nigerian culture.
But the problem with writing like I speak, is that I can be indecisive when it comes to wording when I speak. One of my tutors (he taught me how to talk to patients) commented on this - that when I was nervous I seemed to want to change what I was saying while I was saying it.
It translates into my writing - I'll sit there rewording and perfecting, for hours and hours sometimes.
But I agree with what my GP tutor said, that sometimes I try to perfect because I lack confidence that what I'm saying is okay.
I anticipate that my writing ability and my confidence in it will grow with time. God help me.
SI

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