[j. d. worthington]

Those who have a pretty healthy ego (and this is not meant as criticism -- a strong ego is almost a necessity in order to have a flourishing career as a professional writer, otherwise the self-doubts tend to eat you alive) do tend to think their most recent work is their best; sometimes they're correct, sometimes not. More often it is simply that rush that comes from finishing something that's taken so much effort, and being proud of what you've accomplished -- until that rush wears off, and then you start noticing flaws, and then those feelings are transferred to the next thing you do, and so on. (This is often true even if that particular piece is among your best work....)