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Aiming for failure: #178 January 15, 2015 |
| Hello, So I rate us on the basis of our splendid failure to do the impossible. --William Faulkner In this issue: 1. Aiming for failure 2. Tickled my funnybone 3. Interesting Web site ========== 1. Aiming for failure First, my mother's word puzzle ended with the admonition to fail gloriously. Second, a radio program featured a segment on quitting. Finally, a newsletter arrived in my inbox admonishing me to embrace failure. What's going on? I asked myself. Although I couldn't account for the barrage of admonitions about failure that were imposed on me, I decided I could tell you how I think aiming for failure can help a writer. Writers often aim for perfection: the perfect word, the perfect phrase, the perfect sentence, the perfect paragraph. We polish and polish and polish until the writing gleams. I know I get a thrill when I hit that perfect note, and I'm betting that you do, too. But writing, like other worthwhile endeavours, is built on study and a great deal of trial and error. Errors seem like enemies, like failures. We do what we can to avoid them. Sometimes we avoid errors by not writing at all. It would be better to aim for failure. From the failure to create our desired perfection, we lay the foundation for new expressions, keener insights, maybe even an alternate view of what constitutes perfection. If you find yourself hesitating to write because you know what you are about to put down is nowhere near perfection, join me in aiming for failure instead. I'm betting our writing will be better for that courage. =========== 2.Tickled my funnybone I tried to catch some fog. I mist. =========== 3. Interesting Web site While I do advocate failing rather than not trying, here are some tips on how to completely self-destruct. I do suggest avoiding these behaviours. http://www.cpgjobs.com/the-zen-of-failing-spectacularly/ =========== Join Writer's Helper Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WritersHelperEditor Follow me on Twitter @AudreytheEditor =========== If you know a writer who would appreciate receiving Editor's Notes, forward this issue. If someone has passed this on to you, you can get your own free subscription by signing up at https://www.writershelper.com/newsletter.html |
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