Quote from mmlf on October 30, 2024, 2:40 pm

Quote from Heatherlly on October 24, 2024, 12:49 am

Quote from mmlf on October 20, 2024, 5:25 am

I have drawn things since I was 6. All that I made before the age of 65 is not worth counting. At 73 I began to understand the true construction of animals, plants, trees, birds, fishes, and insects. At 90 I will enter into the secret of things. At 110, everything - every dot, every dash - will live. To all of you who are going to live as long as I do, I promise to keep my word. I am writing this in my old age, I used to call myself Hokusai, but today I sign myself 'The Old Man Mad About Drawing.'

In 21st century terms, this dude was high on his own supply. I know the quote seems profound, but it strikes me as a.) pretentious nonsense, and b.) a terrible source for inspiration. Everything he created before the age of 65 isn't worth counting? I'm sorry, but that way of thinking is sad and wrong and totally misses the point. So does referring to your own work as "unworthy", for that matter. I don't even know what that means, let alone why you would do that to yourself. 😒

Look, I know you're a perfectionist. I also know that we're our own worst critics, but please listen when I say this…

Everything you've ever written is worthy.

It's not worthy for stylistic reasons. It's not worthy because your grammar or sentence structure were perfect, nor that your character development was 100% on point. It's worthy because it's a part of you, a glimpse of exactly who you were as a writer in that time/space/mindset. Would you write the same today? Of course not, but who you are now doesn't nullify who you were then. There's no "before and after" when it comes to creativity, only steps along a journey. Every one of those steps is equally important/valuable… if you can appreciate them rather than diminishing their worth, you'll be doing yourself a favor.

"high on his own supply"-- LOL! Well, he did say he was "mad about drawing"! 😀

Interestingly, I saw a similar comment made in a biography about Bach. One of his early biographers suggested that Bach saw everything that he had composed before 1725 as 'worthy of improvement'. But the author of the current biography contradicted this, pointing out that he had produced accomplished works beforehand.

So you have a point. But healthy thinking is not my forte, haha.

Also, what about when you read a book that is so perfectly written you want to cry? 😀 I found a 19th century novel quite by accident last week that is totally blowing my mind. There are entire scenes I want to rewrite to study what this guy is doing. I am obsessed with stuff that is vastly superior to mine, possibly to an unhealthy degree!