When I say “Good” that just means that when I read someone’s work am I interested in reading more? You might have another definition of what makes something good, but that is mine. Something that is “Great” to me is when I read someones work and I become mildly obsessed with reading and understanding everything they have ever done. To this day I have read 4 to 5 peoples work and thought it was “Great.”

That sounds pretentious…because it is…but I can’t help it. Most of what I read I find to be good and there is nothing at all wrong with that – hell, when I read my own work my most common response is, “This guy has a good idea of where he is going, but is not so incredibly interesting that I can’t put this down.” I’m my own biggest critic and in my opinion that can be as healthy a problem as any.

When I read or watch any creative/insightful product I always think back to what the writing process might have been like. I love the idea that at one point every product I take in was non existent. Someone had to create and produce that piece of entertainment.

I say this often, but I feel it is worth reiterating. My favorite quote of all time is: “look, I made a hat — where there never was a hat.” Those words were written by Stephen Sondheim within a musical setting but it applies to absolutely everything we create. Some of the greatest joy I feel these days is when I produce something I know to be a full representation of myself. Something that I can be proud to have my name on because I created it out of thin air and now it is a fully formed product. That feeling of creation is euphoric to me. So, when I see something out in this world – and it can be anything: a fantastic billboard, a gif online, a moving photograph, or a novel that changes my life – I get this extra sense of joy from it because I am always genuinely curious as to it’s roots and it’s creator.

It’s for this reason that I don’t know why every one isn’t dating a writer. Granted they can be melodramatic, anxiety ridden, and an overall depressing person to be around – but that well of creativity is in there somewhere. You just have to dig around to find it.