Here’s what’s led me to feel like a writing failure:
- Reading what I wrote eight months ago and realizing how awful it was…and wondering if that’s how I’ll feel eight months from now about my current attempts at a novel.
- Suddenly noticing that my character arcs are pretty much non existent; and why hasn’t this occurred to me until today?????
- Proofreading an email; sending said email out to several dozen people; rereading said email and seeing a massive, embarrassing typo.
- Facing the puzzle of not knowing who my main character is anymore; should I have two main characters? Should I ditch my original main character? But I love her! It’s complicated. Sigh.
- Knowing that there are second graders out there who spell way better than I do (I helped as a round keeper at a spelling bee this past weekend). Double sigh.
Definitions of failure, just for fun (not):
Failure = lack of success, falling short
Quotes on failure, and my responses, for some more fun:
“Failure isn’t fatal, but failure to change might be” – John Wooden
What if you can’t figure out how to change, or you have the inability to…at least within one lifetime?
“The phoenix must burn to emerge.” – Janet Fitch
I wish I were a phoenix; then, at least I would know I had hope.
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas A. Edison
Yeah, I’ve found about 500 ways…does that mean I have 9,500 left to go? Cry.
“Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.” – C.S. Lewis
It’s a long road and I’m walking barefoot, in the mud, and with a broken heart (okay, maybe not that bad).
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
I don’t fear failure, I live and breathe failure.
“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
Is it? Really?
“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald
…but how about several dozen? I feel confused.
Okay, that’s all I have for now…time to go have a cup of coffee.
hug
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Thanks Julia!!
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We all feel like failures at various things from time to time–sometimes we’re just tired (H:A:L:T:), sometimes hormonal, sometimes we really are! But not because of a few typos. Remember that redemption is always nigh through Him! And in your case, I think the following adages hold true:
Quitters never win, and winners never quit. Never, never, never give up! And as Grandma would have said, “Just bat it out!” Love you. See your email for a cool publisher for your work in due course and an update on my writing initiative. Hang in there–you can do this, and you have an amazing talent with words–Spirit-driven with lots of wit. You may need to ditch your “editor” and listen to Him. Pray & am praying for you. XX 🙂
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Thank you for the encouragement : )
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Pingback: Ready for wholeness | Vanessa Fowler, writer
It’s okay. You can do it!
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Thanks Allie : )
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