GotPoetry.com > > How to Succeed as a Failing Writer

GotPoetry?

Events

News

Poems

Poetry Venues

Submit News

Inside

Downloads

Exquisite Corpse

Games

Got Pictures?

Movies

Page Slam

Radio

Community

Blogs

Clubs

Staff List

Subscriptions

Supporters

Forums

Poetry Workshops

Marketplace

Book Store

Clothing

Karma

Product

Reference

Encyclopedia

Links

Rhyming Dictionary

Searches

Top 10

Wiki

Communication

Help Desk

User Info

Welcome Anonymous

Membership:

Latest: gopedaryanani

New Today: 1

New Yesterday: 3

Overall: 10963

People Online:

Members: 6

Visitors: 139

Bots: 3

Staff: 1

Staff Online:
01: mamta

Paid Membership

Buy a paid membership and get more out of GotPoetry!

Advertise on the GotPoetry Advertising Network.

Get Published

Submit your poems, events and poetry news. No registration required.

How to Succeed as a Failing Writer

It may not make you money, but maybe it'll keep you sane
-Victor D. Infante

Everyone wants you to win.

Natalie Goldberg wants you to free the writer within. Julia Cameron wants you to walk the artist's way. Everywhere you look, there is somebody telling you how to sell your screenplay or sell your novel or break into the nonfiction market and make BIG MONEY, and free your ARTISTIC SELF, AND WIN AT THE LOTTERY OF WRITING.

But you see, there's a problem. And really, it's an obvious one if you think about it: You are going to fail.

Everyone and their brother is telling you how to get rich and be spiritually enlightened all at the same time, but you know what? If it were that easy, everyone would be rich and spiritually enlightened. Last time I checked I was broke and bitter about it. How about you? Probably in similar straights, I'd imagine.

Most of these books have wonderful advice. I mean that in all seriousness. They tell you how to structure a novel, or give you tips on writing dialog, or how to pitch to an agent. This is all useful information. And many have the good sense to tell you something like, 'You're going to have to fall a few times before you fly.�?

Unfortunately, 'a few�? times is something like 'a thousand�? times. Face it—you are going to fail, and the one thing no one is telling you how to do is how to fall gracefully. Because that would ruin the romanticism, right? And the romantic ideal of being a writer is much cooler than the reality. The romantic ideal sells books on how to be a writer.

One hopes that, if you're reading this column, you know how to be a writer: You write. You sit down at the mysterious glowing box that rests on the wooden thing juxtaposed to the refrigerator, and you pound on the lettered buttons until you have produced something roughly equivalent to the collected works of Shakespeare. A very stoned Shakespeare. Shakespeare after a three-day bender with Hugh Grant and a couple of Hollywood Boulevard transvestite hookers. That is to say, brilliance.

But brilliance alone does not a writing career make. Indeed, judging from the vast majority of what's published today, brilliance may well be an impediment.

No, being a writer is an attitude. There's a sort of beautiful madness involved in the process, a sort of…sense of self, if you will, that possesses someone to believe that words that they've scribbled on paper are as valuable to the world as, say, plumbing.

Sad truth: A world without poetry, or fiction, or cinema would be unbearable. A world without plumbing would be worse. Don't listen to the Ren Faire types who tell you otherwise. Even they draw the line at indoor toilets. We've seen them.

This isn't to say that poetry, fiction, cinema, et al aren't part of the vast tapestry that makes the human experience worth living. But it's just that: a piece. Get a sense of proportion, because having an overblown sense of ego about yourself and your place in the world is a surefire way to drive your nascent career into the abyss, likely leaving you a coked-up has-been, or one of those pretentious asses you meet in Hollywood cafes who claim to be screenwriters but who've never actually written anything.

How the Hell can you expect anyone to find value about what you have to say in your writing if you have no sense of your place in the world? And the only way to do that is to hit rock bottom. Flatten out. Blow it. Fail.

Failing is how we learn our limits. Overcoming our limits is how we succeed. Being plied out of a gutter after a three-day binge? Not necessary, but fun! This is an important, important step in the genesis of any writing career, the ability to say, 'Hi! I'm a failing writer,�? with pride. Say it with me: 'I'm a failing writer. I'm a failing writer! I'M A FAILING WRITER!�?

Revel in it. Learn to probe your mistakes and shortcomings and frustrations, because that's where you'll find the real gold, the stuff that brings humanity to your writing. Spiritual enlightenment can come later. Maybe after one more beer.

Submitted by ocvictor on Wednesday, September 15, 2004 (15:38:54) (2388 reads)

Associated Topics

"Features: How to Succeed as a Failing Writer" | Login/Create an Account | 3 comments

The comments are owned by the poster. We aren't responsible for their content.

Re: How to Succeed as a Failing Writer
by Anonymous on Saturday, November 13, 2004 (11:39:17)

Wow, it's a real "Wake & Bake" moment. Victor's article can be found in Google by (getting stoned in the garage at 7am while the Wife, Kiddo's and Niece sleep...thereby leaving me surf time and thus) typing

"how to get rich" +stoned

By repeating the phrase in the article "I AM A FAILING WRITER" One ACTUALLY then gets the opportunity to simply DECLARE that they ARE in fact, a writer...even though nothings been submitted as of yet. OH...and it sounds WAY more uplifting than "DAMN I'M SO STONED I just KNOW it'd look good on paper! Thank you for rewriting my credo. I'll remember your pearls o' wisdom dude! I GIVE HIM FIVE OF THOSE STONED SMILEY THINGS!
Wink

Reply to This | Parent

Re: How to Succeed as a Failing Writer (Score: 1 )
by ocvictor on Friday, May 06, 2005 (23:52:50)

Reply to This | Parent

Re: How to Succeed as a Failing Writer
by Anonymous on Monday, November 06, 2006 (20:39:25)

Hey Vic!~

Nice piece. I couldn't have said it better!! Acceptance of the facts helps to wash down the truth.
It's great to believe in yourself,but there is a fine line. Believing in yourself + reality is what I believe to make the complete equation, not to mention, a good writer!

Reply to This | Parent