Lasting work is not about being the best

Here’s something I’ve been musing on recently: writing a good book isn’t just about writing the best possible sentence at every given moment. It’s about understanding the reader, and taking them on a journey they need to go on.

You see this a lot in pop and rock music. The technical guitar solo or the impressive vocal run are great things for the climax of a song. But an entire song of needless noodling and showy vocal runs gets old pretty quick. A singular focus on story (in which all the technical aspects serve the story) is what creates art people relate to.

How does this mindset change what you’re working on? There are endless opportunities to showcase technical skill, or to create things that are visually stimulating. But those choices usually don’t last. What lasts is story. People with the journey you take them on.