A wall of good.

One of the funny things that happens when you write is that people are quick to reassure you.

"Well, there are a lot of bad books out there, so you can't be any worse than that!"

Well, since those books are published and I'm not, apparently I can be worse than that.  Thing is, I believe that almost every published book has something going for it.  Sneer at your own peril -- or show you can do better.

I was talking to a customer who said, "Yeah, you're facing a wall of "good."

I think that's right.  It isn't so much that there are bad writers out there that you can outdo, it's that there are so many writers out there who are good -- or at least as good as you are.

I mean I'd rather think I'm good but they're better, than think that they're bad and I'm worse.

If I'm to take responsibility for getting better at it, then I have to accept that.  I need to get better.

In the end, if I write a really good book, it will speak for itself -- and all the rationalizations won't matter.