If You Wish to Create for Others, Create for Yourself: The Best Audience is an Audience of One

Michael Shammas
Sep 8, 2018 · 3 min read
As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote, “[t]he talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do well, and doing well whatever you do without thought of fame. If it comes at all it will come because it is deserved, not because it is sought after.” (Image: Longfellow Square; Portland, Maine.)

It’s a dilemma familiar to any creative: To work for others or oneself? To look inside for eternal truth or outside for evanescent acclaim?

These aren’t easy questions. The temptation to seek acclaim over truth can be overwhelming. The idea that your work won’t be valued unless you write or paint for an…

Keep the story going. Sign up for an extra free read.

You've completed your member preview for this month, but when you sign up for a free Medium account, you get one more story.
Already have an account? Sign in

Michael Shammas

Written by

Formerly edited Harvard Law’s student newspaper. Enjoy reading non-featured stories and follow liberally. Currently editing, and updating, old fiction pieces.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade