Preach Johnny Shaw!

Great writing cannot be created without risk. Originality is hard, because it is risky. By definition, if you are creating something new, you are in uncharted territory. When you are attempting to do something original, you are more likely to fail. However, the attempt itself is success. Because when it works, you’ve created something that is entirely yours, that wouldn’t exist unless you had created it. Anything less would be to aspire to mediocrity.

— Johnny Shaw, “Why You Shouldn’t Censor When Writing,” Writer’s Digest