It’s either in your nature to be self-deprecating, or confident of your ability and happy to tell the world. I’ve always been self-deprecating. I wish, sometimes – when writing a cover letter, for example – it wasn’t so, but there it is.
I was also an art student, and could never promote my work.
The only advice I’ve received recently was from an agent at FoW18, who wrote on my letter: ‘Don’t self-deprecate. Be confident.’ Inside, I am confident about what I create, but I’m not confident about telling others.