We’re writers. We’re meant to be at least slightly neurotic. But there’s that day, every so often, when we’ll be reading a good book. I mean a really good book: solid to fantastic plot, fascinating characters we fall in love with and weep for, and the absolute perfect pacing; all wrapped in a superbly crafted structure.
You take a thought break to bask in the gloriousness of it, grinning foolishly to yourself. Then it hits you.
I’ll never be this good. This is the Van Gough of books. If I live until I’m fifty and keep writing better and better, I’m still never gonna be as good as this bloke.
And you know, that can be good. I’m not one of those people who thinks it’s damaging to the human psyche to admit to actual inferiority. You’re never gonna be as good as at least one girl or bloke out there, and sometimes that knowledge spurs you on to do better. Anything that gets us in front of that computer/notepad/whatever to write and grow, is a good thing.
But it’s also good to remember that writing is a growing thing. The first books of at least two of my favourite authors, had I read them first, would not have inspired me to read more of their work. I can literally see the growth as I read through those early books. You’re not going to be the best you can be right now. You’re going to have to work on it. Your first book is most likely not going to be your best. You’ve still got so much to learn. I’ve still got so much to learn- and practise, and put in to practise.
Who knows, one day we may be that good. But if we never had anything that spurred us on to be better, we’d probably never get there.
Embrace the inferiority. Just don’t let it stop you from being better.
There are definitely authors whose prose is so far beyond me that I’ll never match it. There are authors who twist a plot in ways that boggle my mind. Some write great action and others come up with characters so fascinating that I can’t even imagine how it’s done. But writing is a combination of many things, so each author ultimately is a mix of skills. I may never be the best at anything, but I believe my particular combination will add up to something good. That’s enough.
Exactly so 🙂