Failure, Fear Of

[deborahjross]

Courtesy of Editorial Ass, some thoughts both comforting and disquieting.

Life has no sure bets. Writing has even fewer. Publishing has even even fewer. And yet we write -- and keep trying for publication. What do we do emotionally/psychologically/spiritually with the reality of dismal odds? Of rampant tales of wonderful books -- far better than anything we could produce -- bombing? Of our favorite publisher going under? Or selling out to a megacorp interested only in bottom line pablum?

How do we continue to take the risks that are essential to growth in such a fear-charged atmosphere? The essay doesn't necessarily offer an answer, but does point out how we give fear-of-failure enormous privilege to cripple our dreams.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

That is a very thoughtful piece, and very interesting. I'm a catastrophist by nature, and it's good to hear advice not to do that.