Congratulations You Failed At Writing

If you're reading this, you're probably dealing with your first or one of many failures as a writer. Either way, congrats and welcome to the club of highly successful writers.

Congratulations seem like the wrong thing to say? Maybe you just want to punch a pillow (don't punch a wall, those things punch back!), scream obscenities (that does help, btw), and curse whoever put the idea of writing in your head.

Go ahead. Throw one hell of a pity party. Drown yourself in ice cream. Eat a whole pizza (even indulge in pineapple pizza).

Pity Party and Move On Already

Guess what? No matter how many incredible, life-changing stories you read online, 99.99% of writers don't make it big with their first stories/posts/whatever you want to call them.

In fact, most online writers may not even make $50 in their first year. Yeah, I know. I'm probably not making you feel any better, but just hang in there. I promise there's light at the end of this miserable tunnel filled with evil killer bunnies.

We all want to be that special exception that writes a single post, it goes viral, and you're suddenly making five figures a month working an hour a week. Sorry, cupcake, it doesn't work that way.

Dream and dream big. But, when the inevitable failure happens, enjoy your pity party, and move on.

By move on, I mean learn, regroup, and try again. Just like your favorite shampoo says, rinse and repeat as needed.

Success Starts With Failure

Ask any writer you know and they'll have plenty of failures to tell you about. Sure, they might be making $100,000 in their first year, but what they didn't tell you is they likely spent half that on courses, marketing tools, etc. They also work 24/7 trying to make things work. So, in the end, those high earnings don't equate to much an hour at all.

Success as a writer, or in any career, starts with failure. Just because some troll said they hate what you wrote, you get zero views, or dozens of publications/sites reject you, it doesn't mean you'll never be a writer.

It means you have a choice to make:

1. Quit and settle for doing something you hate
2. Try again and again until you find what works for you

In case you're wondering, the correct answer is #2. And yes, it really does feel like a big ole steaming pile of #2 until you find your groove.

It took me two years and more failures than I thought I'd ever be able to handle to really hit my stride. Then, when I did, I assumed it'd be smooth sailing.

Nope. Even when you're finally successful, failure still hits. Clients leave, publications shut down, algorithms screw you over (they really need to start buying us dinner first), or something happens in your personal life and throws everything off track.

It's okay. It really is.

Don't Give Up

Every time I fail, I look in the mirror and say Congratulations. Instead of seeing it as a negative, I see it as a chance to learn and adapt.

Sure, I failed. For now. A week, or month, or even year from now, I'll look back and see just how far I've come and be proud of myself for all the hard work.

And, whatever failure I just experienced is probably going to make a great article one day. Perhaps my failure could help someone else avoid the same mistake. But, don't ever think you're perfect and won't stumble over a proverbial pothole in your writing career.

Whether it happens in the beginning or years down the road, it will happen and more than once. Once again, it's okay.

Say it with me...it's okay.

So, congratulations on failing at writing. I can't wait to see how you rebound and become the next big success I love reading.