Some thoughts on being "good enough" and the magnus opus

[Deji]

I came across this on my tumblr dashboard and I thought I'd share it with you guys (I already spammed twitter with it x'D ):
http://julesharder.tumblr.com/post/4422 ... agnum-opus

And then, by the same author:
http://julesharder.tumblr.com/post/4144 ... ood-enough

If you're a starting author with this huge epic dream project that will take the VN world by storm that you've been planning for the past X years, please give them a read.
Also read them if you have this fear of not being good enough to do the project you want to do (like me x'D)

[Taleweaver]

Simple truths, put into simple words. Good thing that people remind us of those things sometimes.

Me, I've already done my Magnum Opus. I'm already on my next one. And the rest of you should too.

[KittyKatStar]

" Even if you fail, doing is a lot better than waiting to be “good enough.”"

Growing up I used to never let people see my writing. I loved writing, but couldn't handle the criticism, was embarrassed to let people see it, and never thought I was 'good enough' to be a decent writer, especially for the projects I wanted to do but never did. I only had the courage to throw up one fanfic of shame, and didn't even *look* at the reviews until 6 years later when I felt distant from it. >_<; Seriously, how was I supposed to improve if I was in this vacuum... I feel like I could've done better =< Like I wasted years I could've spent improving and instead wallowed in limbo.

Now I'm writing for projects that'll be seen by people, and my writing has and will be praised, critiqued, picked apart, or labeled trash. I realized... It's fine. Sure it's hard to stomach sometimes when someone says a route was boring, or the character uninteresting, but sometimes they provide the 'why' and you keep it in mind for the next project. All I can really do is just keep 'doing' and hopefully the next result will be better than the last. ^^;

And my huge epic dream project is small thankfully. XD But I hope the experience I've been getting will help give it that extra polish. ^_^;

[jack_norton]

Heh I wish I read that article 8-9 years ago... when I spent *one whole year/ making a soccer sim game and was a total failure personally I think is never good to aim for something too big/epic because is much more likely to fail.

[papillon]

... I always console myself that the next one will be better and just keep plowing ahead...

[KittyKatStar]

... I always console myself that the next one will be better and just keep plowing ahead...

Which is admirable, papillon! You now have a string of games under your belt, along with the experience. You gathered fans, support, praise, critique, the ups and downs, and everything you learned goes into the next project.

So pat on the back. =) You're out there and *doing*.

[ebi brain]

Thanks for posting this! I really need those two posts drilled into my brain.
Just in time for Nanoreno

Whenever I get a VN idea, it quickly grows into something I can't handle.

And IF I have a simple idea that I can handle well... Well, I get super critical and I can wipe almost any idea off the table with the following question: "Why don't they just call the police?" (･_･;

So, this Nanoreno is going to be a real challenge for me, if I ever get past picking an idea.

Having said that, I agree it's better to JUST DO SOMETHING, rather than saying "oh I need more practice/need to wait for a good moment", as long as you keep in mind where you are now and what your goal is.

I think the best thing you could do when you create something, is to assess your progress and bring what you learn from one work, to the next. Maybe it will take some time, but eventually you'll see that you're getting closer and closer to your goal

That's why I started an online sketchbook and make it a habit to upload stuff there weekly/monthly to see.
At first I thought I'd be ripped apart, but what I see now is that there are a lot of people willing to help

I just need to find a way to see that it's like that for other stuff too ( e.g. VNs). Making mistakes is just a part of the learning process, it shouldn't paralyze you with fear.

[xavimat]

I agree with the posts Deji has presented us. Keep going, just keep going, and forget the perfectionist obsession...

Growing up I used to never let people see my writing. I loved writing, but couldn't handle the criticism...

I was the same!
I've always loved writing, but never have done anything for a contest because of that fear...
Then I read a Spanish fantasy writer, Laura Gallego, and knew that she wrote 13 novels and sent them to publishers without success until the 14th won a really famous contest. Now she has lots of books published and lots of success.
I wrote my first novel after that and sent it to some publishers, but it's not good enough.. don't worry, now I know I can do it, and I'm planning the second one.

Learning languages are the same. If I wanted to learn perfect English before writing here... well, maybe it'd be better for your eyes... sorry.

Life isn't a path to follow, is a forest where we can create our path. Don't you think?

[Auro-Cyanide]

This is pretty much what I work by.

I've never waited to be good enough, I just did it. And from my experiences I think I have learnt faster and grown more as a person from it.
My earlier stuff sucks compared to what I can do now. What I did last month sucks compared to what I can do right now. What I'm doing right now will suck compared to what I do in the future, or I bloody well hope so.

So if I'm always going to be better in the future than I was in the past and no matter when I create something I will always one day top it, if my past experience directly lead me to be that much better in the future, why in dear lord's name would I wait?

I don't want to make one great game. I want to make lots of games, each one an improvement on the last, or at least something different from the last so there is always something to learn. The potential I see in myself when I watch myself improve with each thing I do and with each person that reacts to what I do, it's one of the most exciting things in the world to me.


... My fear of failure in life is more a real life thing related to work and money. I'm work on that one.

[mapletaffy]

Actually, I had that bad attitude of "Do it now, deal with the consequence later." But I tend to forgot it sometimes. What happened to me was, around 2011, I'm planning for an 8 ending, 10 character game and I wasted like, so many months of my life doing it. I just want it to be my major project, something like that. Yet, I feel depressed everytime I imagine how horrible my art is, compared to some artist I know. So I was overwhelmed and feel stuck-up and finally, decided to drop the project and focus on smaller, bite-sized pieces, and finally, I've done a bit.
It takes a lot of small steps, together with critiques, lots of demotivations and whatsoever. But what's more important is, you're on your way.

[TrickWithAKnife]

Perhaps I'm the opposite of a lot of people. I worry that people won't criticise my writing.
I know I'm not a great writer, because I've never really written before.
There is no way someone can pick up a pen and instantly be a good writer.

I'm very grateful fr constructive criticism, and even more grateful for advice.
Saying it's good when it's obviously not just makes me not trust that person.

[latte]

As my father always says, "never be afraid to show your work to the world, because if you don't, someone with a work of inferior quality but more courage will take its place". After hearing that 1029385701 times I finally decided to work on my first VN -- I know it's bad, but hopefully people will play and tell me how to improve.

[jack_norton]

... I always console myself that the next one will be better and just keep plowing ahead...

Having a game on Steam already is already a big "achievement" (intentional pun!) there are <coughs> some other indies who can only dream of that...

[EroBotan]

I actually make my current project pretty achievable, I cut a lot of features that I planned during the start of the project. When I present the project to my friend, he ask me to put those removed features back =__=;

[papillon]

already a big "achievement"

That's the thing, this sort of stuff tends to be subjective and crazy-making, and I know I'm not alone in that. When I'm first starting/designing a project, it is the BEST THING EVER and I am SO EXCITED. By the time it's finished I'm exhausted and depressed about all the corners I had to cut and the compromises I had to make, then I have to brace myself for the inevitable slew of complaints and insults that'll come my way... (... yes, I read the comments T.T)

People at cons sometimes ask me which project is my favorite, and "the one I haven't done yet" is generally my real answer.