What Ascension said. He's right on.

Dude, I am still looking at my last map Xperemiante and trippin. I'm sure that will die off eventually (a good thing because that happens if you keep improving) and I already have ideas to do that style better. When I started here a year ago the only thing I had going for me was that 10+ years ago or so I was pretty good drawing with a pencil. I had no concept how to translate that into the digital world. I bumped into this website and it has been one of the best places I have ever found on the net. I downloaded Gimp a little over a year ago and foregoing sleep stayed up trying to beat it into submission. I still hack my way through it because I can barely stand to follow a tutorial and I'm still burning sleep hours to play with my Crayolas. Still, there are some of these guys who whip out works amazing every single time. I don't think I can do that because I keep trying new stuff every round. Will it be great or will it be a pile of mush? I dunno.

I just kept it in my head that can draw and that's not something everyone can do. I said to myself, "I might suck at digital but I can draw. Eventually I am going to get this." I am still learning and being helped by folks around here but at least now I'm able to also help others. That's a great feeling too.

Remember your strengths. If that's story telling then by all means try to work that into every map you create. Not just as a narrative to the making of it but put it on the map. I think Ascension made a map for the Brewery company that had all sorts of stories on it. You might check that out and think about doing something along those lines. If you keep at it you will look back and say, man, I wasn't so great when i started but I love what I'm doing now. I look back at my first few maps and I think...sheesh, what a noob. I can't wait to get enough new stuff to drop some of my older items off my website.

By being up in the light entering challenges you will force yourself to keep improving. Plus, remember, in most challenges there is usually one entry that just shines out supernova and scoops up all the votes. Never take it hard if you don't even get one vote (I know it's hard to do) but instead remember what you learned doing that piece.

Also, what you mention is exactly why I put the quote in my signature.