Why Failure Can Help You Become a Better Writer – Kate Johnston
Why Failure Can Help You Become a Better Writer
Today’s article is a share from author/blogger/editor and friend Kate Johnston. Kate is talking about the topic of failure and rejection writers face and how they lead to our successes.
Why Failure Can Help You Become a Better Writer
Mental preparedness, I think, is the most critical tool a writer needs. More than ability or talent or free time. Most new writers are intimidated, fearful, and they don’t think they’re up to the task. They’re afraid of failure. And they allow that fear of failure to stop them on their writing quests.
5 REASONS FAILURE CAN HELP YOU BECOME A BETTER WRITER
Failure means you tried
Writers who are new to the craft generally don’t fully understand what it takes to be a writer. What they have to do to make a story work. How much time they have to invest.
When they are faced with the truth of exactly what they’re in for, many writers give up.
They give up before they can actually fail.
Let’s read that again: they give up before they can actually fail.
Imagine the fear, disappointment, frustration, and discouragement as an enormous, thick, noxious cloud of smoke that is hovering in your way, smack-dab in the middle of your path. You have two options: push your way through or give up.
If you give up, that is the end of your writing journey. You stopped when things got too hard.
If you push through, and deal with fear, disappointment, frustration, and discouragement, you will come out to the other side. Where the air is clearer, friendlier, and smells a lot better.
Pushing through, facing and dealing with the crappy stuff, may not earn you the big win or the success you dreamed about. But it does give you something you need.
Experience.
Failure will prepare you for the next big obstacle
The worst mistake any writer can make is to think this gig will be easy or that their version of success is the only way to be successful. Thoughts like I should have been done by now. Why am I still having trouble with structure? will lead you down a dangerous landslide of limiting beliefs.
Writers who tumble down this slope are usually those who started this journey because they’d been inspired by a great book that they’ve read, or by a beloved author. They’re basing their desire on a finished, polished product. They don’t see the years and years of hard work and previous failures that led to that particular success. Years of dedication to learning the craft of writing.
Unless you have studied writing or been trained/educated as a writer, and you understand how the industry works, and you’re highly self-disciplined, then it is next to impossible to pump out a great book in a few months that will end up on the bestseller’s lists. An accomplishment like that takes years of experience and practice. And a little magic.
(I’ll pause here to excuse those rare, gifted writers who actually emerged from the womb with pen in hand.)
Even if you hit a win on your first try, and you’re not rare & gifted, what do you think is going to happen on your next try? Continue reading . . .
Source: Why Failure Can Help You Become a Better Writer – Kate Johnston
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dgkaye
D.G. Kaye is a nonfiction/memoir writer, who writes from her own life experiences and self-medicates with a daily dose of humor.
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47 Comments
Marje @ Kyrosmagica
Fantastic share Debby. 🙂
dgkaye
Glad you enjoyed Marje 🙂 x
Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.
Had my fair share of helpful failures, however they looked at the time.. great share Debby ♥
dgkaye
Thanks Sal. Lessons for some, memories for others. 🙂 <3
Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.
♥
Jacqui Murray
This couldn’t be truer. For these same reasons, I teach my students that failure is their teacher–and not a bad thing. I rarely even ding their grade for failure!
dgkaye
It’s how we all learn. 🙂
D. Wallace Peach
Thanks for sharing, Debby. I’m a big failure at just about everything, but usually only once. 😀 It’s a memorable way to learn, and with the right attitude, failure can be a friend. 🙂
dgkaye
Hard to even imagine you a failure. But I know sometimes are best attempts can lead to failure and as long as we learn something from it and keep going that eventually leads to success. 🙂 xx
D. Wallace Peach
I have to do almost everything at least twice because the first time is a train wreck. Ha ha. I make a lot of extra work for myself too, which can be annoying. But I’ve learned to go with the flow. 🙂
dgkaye
I do hear you on many fronts, lol. 🙂
Colleen Chesebro
Wise words, dear Sis. <3
dgkaye
Aren’t they just! <3
olganm
Thanks for sharing, Debby. Very true, although I’ve also perfected the art of failing in different ways…;)
dgkaye
OH, I’m sure many of us have Olga. But as long as we learn from it, we grow. 🙂
balroop2013
This reminds me os Emily Dickinson’s poem… “Success is counted sweetest
By those who ne’er succeed….” Failure explains to us the meaning of success and why not to lose hope 🙂 Thanks for sharing this post Deb.
dgkaye
Exactly Balroop. Dickinson found that long before we did. 🙂
lisa thomson-The Great Escape...
Great share, Deb. It’s so true that new writers don’t see the years of toiling behind a single book release. Stephen King wrote something like nine novels before getting published for the first time. Wow, something to think on. Thanks for sharing this topic, Kate. Failure isn’t something we want to discuss very often but always relevant.
dgkaye
Thanks Lis. We can all relate I’m sure, but I found it encouraging that Kate validates what so many of us experience. And yes, King is often used as a great example for rejection letters – especially his ‘Carrie’ story. We have much to learn from our failures. 🙂 x
roughwighting
I always enjoy Kate’s advice on writing. She says it like it is, and is inspiring as well as practical. Thanks for the share, Debby.
dgkaye
Thanks Pam. 🙂
Kate Johnston
Thank you for sharing my post, Debby! What a sweet surprise. We must stay as encouraged and motivated as possible, so anytime we can twist negativities around, we’re better off! 🙂
dgkaye
Amen to that Kate. And it was my pleasure to share your wise words! 🙂
Jeri Walker (@JeriWB)
Failure is a great teacher. I know this, and still I have been dragging my feet for way too long about getting serious about writing. Things are coming together though and I have an article coming out in a magazine next month, so yay! As a teacher, it would be frustrating when parents would complain and ask why their child had a C or a D, and I would be like, “That is what they are earning.” Everyone just wants easy A’s and B’s without the effort and the occasional failure needed to truly learn.
dgkaye
Well said Jeri. And it seems you and I are both dragging our feet. Sometimes that happens when illness takes precedence and turns life around. I know what you’ve been through and I’m living it daily with my husband’s poor health. We just need to find the inspiration to saddle up. And congrats on the magazine article! That’s what I need to start doing too. 🙂
Norah
A great post, Debby. Thanks for sharing Kate’s advice. It’s a good thing failure is good for us. I must be getting really good! 🙂
dgkaye
Lol Norah, you’re hilarious!!!!! But seriously, it’s so true isn’t it? That’s why I had to share. 🙂 x
Norah
🙂 And I’m pleased you did. Thanks.
writerchristophfischer
Excellent post, rings so true. <3
dgkaye
Thanks Christoph. Yes, it seems to resonate with so many, especially me. 🙂 xx
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dgkaye
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Mabel Kwong
Again another great post you shared, Debbie. An insightful write from Kate. Agree with her that failure isn’t always bad and it’s a sign that we have tried. As I mentioned on her blog, if we get up and continue writing, we are just continuing on and on to the next step, picking up ourselves after we’ve fallen. Personally writing my first book has been a stop-start process but it’s nothing to be ashamed about – I am still going with it 🙂
dgkaye
Good for you Mabel. It’s easy for writers to get discouraged with their work that’s why I thought Kate’s post was encouraging and inspirational. Glad you visited her page. 🙂 xx
Mabel Kwong
So easy to get discouraged but never easy to start again. But if we love writing enough, we will always find a way. Thanks for sharing such insightful posts, Debbie <3
dgkaye
True words Mabel. The only way to overcome failure is to get back on the horse! 🙂 <3
Jennie
This was excellent! Failure really can be a positive step forward. I loved Kate’s article. Great share!
dgkaye
Thanks Jennie. It’s so true isn’t it? But without failure we couldn’t mark our successes. 🙂
Jennie
Absolutely!
Sean P Carlin
Given that my résumé is a list of near-misses, it’s unexpectedly encouraging to be reminded of the benefits of failure! Thanks, Debby!
dgkaye
That’s the spirit Sean! 🙂
Janice Wald
Hi Debby,
It’s better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all! Great post by your guest author.
I don’t see a Press This button. It sounds like if my readers want to Press my post, they need the tool you emailed me about. I do nothing. Is that right?
Janice
dgkaye
Thanks Janice. Yes, you’re right. Everyone needs their own ‘press this’ marklet for their own use. 🙂
Christy B
I love Kate’s take on failure as a way to move forward, thus seeing it in a positive light. Great choice of share, Debby!
dgkaye
Thanks Christy. It’s like life – making a positive from the negative right? <3
Christy B
YES!! Huge hugs xo
dgkaye
Received and sharing back! 🙂 <3