Srsly. Don't make us beat some self-esteem into you. ;)

Beatings are always welcome! I've done so many portfolio reviews in the last few years, from big game studios, to Marvel and DC comics, to Tor publishing and others, and I'm just... exhausted. THOSE felt like beatings! Some of them went great, others awful, and as a whole completely contradicting with one another, hah.

But I try to remember the insights that really resonated with the direction I know I want to go. I'm taking a break from reviews for a while though and just sitting down and putting in the practice and work. Unless I stumble upon somebody awesome at a con I'm at, of course.

What's really interesting is how many comments don't make an impact at first, and instead slowly seep in as you're working months down the line. I feel like I personally have to make the breakthrough on my own, after months of making crap, and that's when I see it. "Oh, that's what he was talking about. This IS so much better..."

Yeah, I hear something a dozen times and then the 15th time I freaking understand it. I mean, hey, glad to get it, but damn brain. Let's go dawg.

I'm not surprised your portfolios are critiqued in such a random fashion. So much in life is subjective and in the moment - it's hard for me, coming from a significantly more absolutist background, to remember that and just at peace with it. It gets to a point too where the feedback isn't good feedback, and something you should change, but just evidence that the partnership is *not* a good fit.

I read something a while back, by a very old writer that I respect and admire, that was basically, "people send me lots of things to read and if I can't hear a human voice right away, I ignore it completely."

So find your voice and fuck the rest, I guess?