Writing is a muscle that needs to be exercised just like anything else. I think it is fair to say that every one of us who's been at this a while has improved since those early days, even the greats and the BNF. :-)

(But I *have* gone back and removed a few *dreadful* stories from old archives, hoping no one will remember their tawdry little existence)

And no, you are *not* delusional!