Surviving emotionally intact (ish) as a writer requires walking a very thin and jagged line between rampant ego and excessive humility.
By that I mean – you need to be comfortable with hearing others praised to the skies, while still believing, somehow, that YOURS is better.
It may be better. It may not be better. But if you don’t believe it IS, you’ll be crushed under the excellence of others
(because others WILL be excellent.)
And, oh yeah, you have to not be an asshole about that belief.
…remembering this is harder on some days than others.
(also, I almost wrote that as “excessive humidity.” Oh hai summer, haven’t missed you a BIT)