Sometimes I think writers know in their guts when they've written
something great. Sometimes I meet writers who are too modest about how
great their work is. Sometimes I look back at work I thought was good
when I first started out, and I realize it ... wasn't. Sometimes I look
back at a story I wrote years ago and didn't think much of back then,
but now I realize it has really held up.
Do you know how good your writing is?
Do you know how good your writing is?
Sometimes, I think, if I'm in the right state of mind and not too excited or too dismayed about anything. But it's certainly hard to pin down whether or not a person's objective enough.
ReplyDeleteObjectivity might increase with time. I think!
DeleteThis is a tough one for me. I tend to be rather over-critical of my own work that I really do need to have someone else read it for me to believe that it holds up.
ReplyDeleteI tend to be overcritical about some things and have blind spots in others.
DeleteHmmm. Depends on my mood. Sometimes I think my writing is great, other times I can't keep my finger off the delete button. Outside validation helps, but you're right, sometimes it's a gut feeling--the kind that doesn't disappear overnight.
ReplyDeleteWith some pieces, I've been very strongly confident--with others, I don't see their merits until a while later, or until others point them out. And some things I've thought were great when I wrote them made me groan later.
DeleteI often discover later if my work holds up or not, as you say. My short story collection that I put out last winter is filled with stories that have held up. I love that little book. :) In my gut, I usually know if something is worth holding onto - if it is good or not, but sometimes it just feels like guessing.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to have a reliable gut check!
Delete