Don’t sand down the rough edges

August 9, 2013

For anyone who has ever tried to make art for sale, there’s a tendency to want to dilute your vision in order to cater to a wider audience. “Most people won’t like this,” the thinking goes, “so I should change it to something that will sell.” After all, you have bills that need paying.

Stop. Don’t. Don’t sand down the rough edges, because that’s exactly what we want to see. Imperfections and quirks are what make a story interesting, while “perfection” is boring.

Remember that you don’t need to please everybody, you just need to please some, and it’s a lot easier to do that if you give them something uncompromising and magical and from your heart. So don’t give in to the treacherous voices in your head. Give us your story, as only you can tell it.