When science fiction was still emerging, one criticism of the genre was the sheer volume of bad work. After decades of defending science fiction, one writer realized that the criticism applied to everything. “Ninety percent of everything is crap,” he said. That observation became known as Sturgeon’s Law.

“One of my painting teachers said 85 percent of what artists make is junk. I spent a lot of my time in that 85 percent,” Nell Painter writes in Old in Art School. “All my work, the 85 percent and the 15 percent, comes out of ceaseless experiment.”

A big part of the work is not only to clearly distinguish between good and bad work, but also to stick with the bad work until you arrive to the good work—that rare 10–15%!—and being willing to return to the bad work.

(On the bright side, 10% is much higher than 0.1%!)

Thanks to Cesar Aguirre for the reminder.