Friday, October 26, 2007

The Best of the Best

I imagine one of the hard things for parents to accept is the day that they realise that their darling child isn't the brightest and the best, but that they love them all the same. I know I have posted about this before, but it was brought to my mind recently so I thought I would write about it again. Things that you have created - as in works of art - are different from your children, of course, but I imagine that the comparison holds true on many levels. You want your books, or paintings, to do well, to be well received and accepted into loving homes. You've taken time to raise them and you want them to have a wonderful life. They are connected to you on a deeply personal level and their reception - be it bad or good - impacts directly on your life. I want my work to be the best, and I constantly strive to improve, but there are times when I realise that no matter how hard I work, nor how much experience I have, my work will never reach the lofty heights I would like it to. Does this depress me - yes. Does it make me give up? - No. Because it doesn't matter whether my work is the best of the best, if it is high art or just pretty pictures, not everyone has to love it. There will always be better work than mine, but there will always be worse too. My work is mine, it is good, and I like it. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it doesn't have to be. All that matters is that I remember that, and still believe in it.

4 comments:

Wizardry said...

Thats good. And I know what you mean. You go from writing some more of your ongoing story, and after having sat there for a few hours wrenching out some twists, you need to take a break. You sit down in that comfortable chair near your book shelf and yank off what ever follows. Ocrar Wilde's Dorian Grey. Edgar Allen Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. Emily Dickinson's Complete Poetry. You flip through a few of the pages, and you mind drifts back to what you had just written. At first, dispair sets in as you realize the grandur of the writers before you, but then its your choice wheather or not go give up, or get back to work.
I'm going to click around a bit and look for some of your writings.

Inkpot said...

Hi Victoria Gothic,yes, that's it exactly. Thanks for the comment.

Anonymous said...

I think its impossible to be ever realy satisfied with your work as its really hard to ever capture the vision however you do know some work is good. As they say genius is 90% hard work!

Inkpot said...

To anon, thank you so much for your comment. I agree totally. However, my post wasn't so much about being satisfied with your own work as realising that your own work is never going to soar to the heights you wish it would, but liking it still for its more humble achievements.