Looking Back

The great thing about doing the bulk of my writing on the computer is that it's always going to be there (except for when my computer inexplicably dies). Of course, even though they are right next to me, I rarely look at them. I maybe go through my files a couple times a year. Looking back on these works is always an experience.

Because of the time that has passed, they always are a little more alien to me. Some pieces remain close to me; I remember the story and some late nights creating them. Others are less familiar; I have to read through it to refamiliarize myself with it. One piece, though, I read through and spent an hour trying to figure who wrote it before it slowly dawned on me that I was the author.

But along with the familiarity of the piece, I am also looking at the quality of them. Most writers (most artists of any field, really) absolutely detest their old work. They have a powerful urge to either hide or destroy that work. I am not immune to these feelings. I rarely read through my old pieces because I can't stand them. I don't destroy them, but they rarely see the light of day.

However, as much as I can't stand some of my old work, I also get the occasional pleasant surprise. Sometimes I come across a document that is just filled with story ideas or I read through a piece that I just don't remember. When I read them, I am blown away. I can't believe I wrote something so good, let alone that I did it so long ago.

I am always happy to read through my old files for exactly these reasons. You should do the same thing. When you read your old work and hate it, realize that it is because you have grown and that your standards of quality have risen. When you read something you love, realize that you are a writer and have been for some time. Good ideas are not a new thing to you, so you should continue the tradition.