Q: I write music for fun and post it online or whenever I feel like it and have the time. I haven't released much, but the ones I have released I've put a ton of time and effort into. I've gotten a few offers from indie game developers, but always ended up declining due to confidence issues and so composers much younger than me end up getting the job instead. I'll listen to their final product and notice how generic it sounds or how I'm sure I could do better, but when I'm given the opportunity to do it I run away. What is wrong with me?
A: the reason those "other" composers sound "generic" is because they are doing it as a job. a paid gig. if you are putting a lot of time and effort and care into what you are doing, then a paid situation is only going to drive you crazy. sure, there are 'paid' gigs for people who really care, but they pay WAY more, and you only get those gigs when you reach a more steven spielberg kind of level. these kids who are taking your gigs are working for cheap, and they don't care, and they don't have to care, because they are working for people who can't afford to pay them to care. real care is worth much, much, more than that. in fact, it's priceless. if you care, you need to take a very different approach, and find something else to do for work, and devote your true 'care' to what you really care about. in other words, if you try to sell your babies, you will only be undercut by somebody making cheaper and dumber babies. and that will be so uninspiring that it will ruin your day