I have been giving a mental exercise to artists for a while in private conversations when they talk about how they don’t like their own work.
It’s been really helpful for them, so I thought I would share it publicly. After all, feeling inadequate is a very common feeling amongst creatives, and quite #relatable.
When I hear that, though, I respond with “what an insulting thing to say to me.”
That immediately jolts them to attention. After all, they are down on themselves, right? How could it be about me?
“I like your work,” I continue. “And if you’re saying it’s bad, then you are saying I have bad taste. Is it your intention to insult me like that? Because, if not, then your work can’t, objectively, suck, because if it sucked I would be enjoying sucky work, and I am very sure that my taste doesn’t suck.”
I’ve used this trick on myself countless times in my own life. Any time I get down on my own work, I ask myself “Do I think the people who enjoy my work have bad taste?”
Since I love my fans, the last thing I want to do is insult them, so I always say no, which means that my work can’t suck, otherwise my fans would be buying garbage, and I don’t think they would do that.
Can a book be niche? Sure.
Could you have to work to increase your audience? Always.
Does your art style need more mass-market appeal? Maybe.
Can you always improve your art? Of course.
Does that mean every piece you make is a masterpiece? No.
I’m not saying that the process can’t suck, a piece comes out fully formed, or your work doesn’t live up to expectations when you’re done, but the moment somebody comes to me and says “I really liked that”, I have to step back and say “This work might not be doing what I want it to do, but can’t possibly suck because somebody enjoyed it and I don’t want to insult their intelligence or taste.”
Otherwise, I’m insulting my audience and telling them they have bad taste, and I would never want to do that.
Which means I can’t think my work sucks, at least in its finished form.
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Thank you for posting this! I have to say, when it first popped up on my screen, I was afraid that my lack of response had offended you. This really resonates with me, coming from a culture where people can be very sniffy about comics. I wanted to do nothing but comics for years. Life doesn’t work like that, you have to do all kinds of art to find your voice, but I hated the way people decided I was “weird” for liking comics, or that anyone is weird for liking anything. I am still trying to put out my book, just editing it at the moment and have a problem with too many images cluttering the computer! Thanks, Russell for cheering me up.
Glad it resonated with you.