However, some of us reach a point where we believe our own publicity and consider our writing to be perfect, often when we still have a way to go. In that situation, this quote from Hermann Zapf can help bring one down to earth. I don't mean this as a depressant but as a gentle counter-balance to the ten points of reassurance.
I really like this quote.
Good or excellent are such relative terms. During the first 6 months or so of my attempt to learn Spencerian were the only moments I thought I was starting to really get the hang of it--not excellent, not even good, but bordering on pretty good. That feeling was fostered constantly by people to whom I sent letters or cards who had never seen good handwriting. I sent a card to a local business owner on the first anniversary of her business and she liked it so much, she put it in a little stand on the counter by the cash register for all her customers to see, and every time I went in there, she said how much her customers liked it, it was so pretty, nicest writing they'd ever seen, and so on. That made me feel good, at least initially, and those comments were supporting a view of my work that I no longer agree with myself. Now, I go in and see that card and cringe. It's really not even pretty good. Dare I say it is pretty bad? Not quite awful, at least.
This change in perspective has come about in part by studying exemplars of the masters and in part by studying the work of those better than me on this forum. The more I study truly good work, the wider I perceive the gulf between my work and good/excellent work to be, which might be disheartening. But also the gulf grows between my first attempts and my current ones, so encouraging. Sort of like increasing knowledge is an expanding universe. As long as I'm going in a positive direction, it's good. My 2 cents for the day.