Trying Too Hard

This morning I came across some extracts from John le Carré’s memoir, The Pigeon Tunnel, on The Guardian website. In one he talks abouts how, after he found success as a writer, critics would say that he was ‘trying too hard’.

Trying too hard. What a nonsense phrase. How can anyone try too hard?

You might not meet the target you’re aiming for but you can’t be too accurate in your aim.