Writing World Wednesday - Living with Failure/Finishing Things

Let’s face it, you have failed at almost everything if not all. But that is the best way to be a writer. I’ve written many essays and short stories nobody read, and I spent most of my time in my head. However, my collection of failures gave me time to question what I was doing. Like a runner who falls during a marathon, a writer must get back up and continue the journey. The only other option is to stop altogether and that’s not a realistic choice.

You can explain your failures and how they’ve shaped who you are. You can explain how failures helped you become the person you are today. You can describe how you overcame some failures and learned to live with others. Hundreds of writers become famous after their deaths, and some of them struggled to put a single word on their next project.

So, how does a writer move pass this monstrosity? Is it comfort you seek? Do you want someone to hold you or isolate yourself indoors for fear of being seen in public? If you are, you are holding back from accomplishing more. Artists say they can’t bear to look at their old work and once they’re done with something, they never want to see it again. I completely understand why. But here’s the kicker: if you build a portfolio of articles, news stories, blogs, and snippets of your best work, you are already holding onto success. A success in failure and missed opportunities.

Now, this is not to say that I am advocating writers to disavow their work once they are done. Instead, take some time to reflect on your older articles and blogs, the ones you are proud of, and ask yourself if they are holding value to your craft or if you’re just stuck in the past.

While on the subject of opportunities, I like to talk about finishing things. Most people I have met have ideas worth sharing. They have a great plan and all is well when they start. By the next day, I ask why they look so gloomy? The usual reply is things did not go well according to plan. Other times it is high expectations thrown out the window. There is a simple strategy that can help gain control over your writing. It’s called a weekly review.

Business professionals use this to direct a course during and after one day, and it is useful for anyone in general. At the end of each week, spend 30-60 minutes going over and reviewing your project status. If it’s helpful, use a calendar to make a commitment possible. This is a way of gaining perspective on your work and figure out what you’ve accomplished, what you overlooked, and what needs to be fixed. Be honest with yourself and ask the following questions:

What did I accomplish this week?

What went well/didn’t go well?

What are the most important task(s) for next week?

What was my word count this week?

How many hours did I generate?

How did I market my work?

What events are on my calendar for the previous/next seven days that I need to act on?

What am I putting off?

What should I stop doing or say no to?

This is not the time for working, this is a time to review what you have so far. You should use the weekly review only for clarification and prioritize future projects. This means adding missed opportunities or upcoming deadlines to your calendar or deciding to renegotiate commitments. You’ll be able to hit the blank page feeling much better for yourself. The weekly review gave me the confidence I’ve been searching for quite a long time. I learned not to worry so much about the time or getting overwhelmed by the number of unanswered tasks. Think of it this way: paragraphs make up book chapters and finished chapters will fill the book. The accumulation of these minor things contributes to a major one. As a reward, you:

Get your hands dirty and bloody – creative strategies is fun and once you get the hang of it, you’ll want to do it again and leave a trail in your wake.

Make mistakes – use the feedback to become a better writer and train yourself to make new connections for your next project.

Free education – Who doesn’t want that? If you make a guest post or appearance, you’ll get the chance to learn some experience for future work. This is the kind of thing people yearn for.

Live with these things long enough and you'll never be wasted or lost.