On Judging (Self) Quality

Queen Grimhilde

Someone at CONvergence asked me if I thought I was a good singer. Like writing, I really have *no* idea. I don’t feel that obsessing about what other people think about my work in any sphere is a sane idea. That’s a deep dark hole of no return because you cannot please everyone. What I shoot for is the Law of Averages. That bell curve of opinions is the way I deal with reviews because you’re always going to have a certain percentage who love/hate you. The middle, though? That’s where the excitement happens.

There’s a lot of professional musicians, artists, authors, etc. who I don’t think are “good.” The reverse is also true. Toss popularity into the mix and it gives me pause sometimes because there are folks who I feel should be riding high who are just coasting. You just never know what’s going to “hit.” So to speak. That’s not something I can control. When that bubble of mass market-ness bursts into the public at large, I wrap my mind around it to see why “X” is working, so I can learn from it. Not everything out there may be for me, but something out there may be for you.

So, what I do focus on, are my own quality standards which I achieve by experiencing joy in my work. It may not be the right answer, but it’s my way of dealing with a crazy world filled with instant judgement. That way, when I’m satisfied? I know I’ve done my absolute best. I can’t ask for anything more than that, really.

Embarrassingly enough, though, the question did make me realize a few things about how I used to let the bullies win. If I’m feeling brave, I might tell you about it later. Or not. :p

    Mood: Allergy-ridden medicine head.
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Enough to make me stop drinking them.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: The post-con shuffle.
    In My Ears: The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver by Elbow
    Game Last Played: Ermm…
    Movie Last Viewed: The Aristocats
    Latest Artistic Project: A grey and aqua bracelet
    Latest Release: “Don’t Ignore Your Dead” included in Don’t Read This Book for the Don’t Rest Your Head RPG



Monica Valentinelli is an author, artist, and narrative designer who writes about magic, mystery, and mayhem. Her portfolio includes stories, games, comics, essays, and pop culture books.

In addition to her own worlds, she has worked on a number of different properties including Vampire: the Masquerade, Shadowrun, Hunter: the Vigil, Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, and Robert E. Howard’s Conan.

Looking for Monica’s books and games that are still in print? Visit Monica Valentinelli on Amazon’s Author Central or a bookstore near you.

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