Anthologize This

As a writer, you’ve undoubtedly read someone’s sucky writing before. That person was all proud of their a) beginning paragraphs of a scifi novel that was comprised of needlessly complicated backstory + the presentation of an unrealistically cool protagonist and his strong, sassy love interest b) an awkwardly worded meditation on an abstract concept like “beauty or c) third-person short story that is obviously a thinly veiled autobiography. You’ve smiled encouragingly at this budding author while secretly pitying this person.

Then two years later, you realize that you might be that sucky writer. You remember the hopeful glimmer in their eyes and realize that they are as confident about their skill as you are about yours. You realize that you might actually be a terrible writer and have spend all those years chasing a delusion.

Well what now? Are you a good writer or aren’t you?

A lot of good writers fail. A lot bad writers receive praise. I can’t tell you if you’re good, and you probably don’t know either.

If you’re terrible, you should probably quit writing.

But you’re not going to do that, are you?

So you might as well forget the thought ever crossed your mind and keep at it.

Keep writing.