a work of GENIUS

When P.G. Wodehouse, possibly the best comic writer who ever lived, had his first novel published, he sent a copy to his friend Bill Townend with these words inscribed:

To Villiam Townend

these first-fruits

of

a

GENIUS

at which

the

WORLD

will

(shortly)

be

AMAZED

(You see if it won’t)

from

the author

Sep 28. 1902 P.G. Wodehouse

To an aspiring writer, I think a little hubris is helpful. Provided, of course, that it’s regularly dosed with reality’s tonics, like hard work, honest relationships, and the staggering genius of other writers to which we could never possibly measure up.