"Interesting"

I feel bad when somebody shows me their writing and my first response is "interesting." I feel bad because I know how much I hate it when people describe my work like that. My gut reaction is that "interesting" doesn't mean anything. It's a filler word for when people can't think of anything to say.

In full disclosure, sometimes it's true. "Interesting" can mean you hate it, you don't care about it, or you have no idea what's going on. However, sometimes it can be said sincerely. And if you sincerely call something interesting, it is not meaningless.

When I say “interesting”, it means I want more. It means, quite literally, that you have my interest. But now I want you to seal the deal. Interesting is the first step towards amazing, outstanding, mesmerizing, and all those other things you’d like to be called. Interesting is not bad; it’s certainly a step in the right direction. Just keep it up.