Don't let fear destroy success: part 2

The writer dilemma- Part Two

Failures are not recorded in history nor are they built on in the media frenzy. But if genius inventors such as Thomas Edison only discovered the light bulb after 1,000 tries, then why should we be afraid of failing? 

However, many of us try to avoid failure and so in the end we settle for a very simple life when we could be living out our dreams. We will never face any real victory as nothing we achieve will have been achieved with all our strength and tears.

Mistakes are considered wrong in our society and not something that we could learn from. But we are not perfect nor were we born perfect. We had to fail so many times before we could walk, talk or ride a bike. If we gave up then, when we were young, we would have been nothing now.

Youth is a concept that is often connected with failure as it seems to be the time when people are more adventurous and comfortable with failing. When we get older, we suddenly become more protective. Our life is all about routine and making it work for our families.

But is it really worth not testing new ideas out just because of your family? Some might feel selfish by putting themselves first but perhaps they have forgotten the most important thing. Life does not end after your youth, it can only get better. The main advantage of getting older is that you can plan for your future using the experiences that you gained when you were younger.

As a young writer, you will receive several rejections and some may tell you that writing may just not be for you. But, publishing and writing are both very subjective career fields. Before entering the literary arena, you should be prepared for the fact that your first manuscript might not be a total success. But do not stop getting your work out there.

Take all the criticism in and strive to make your manuscript your personal best so that the next time an editor sees it, he is blown away. Remember that showcasing your book to agents and publishers is one of the highest levels that you will compete at as a young writer. 

Failure was prevalent in the life of Bill Gates who experienced failure with his first business Traf – O – Data but carried on to establish Microsoft as well as Albert Einstein who was considered mentally handicapped when he was younger. 


Who knew he would, in a later years, actually be considered a genius! Yet, if he or Bill Gates, had stopped trying at that juncture in their lives, the world would have lost two of the greatest minds it has ever possessed.

 JK Rowling also had a hard life in the publishing world before the success of Harry Potter:

“The first agent on my list sent my sample three chapters and synopsis back by return of post. The first two publishers took slightly longer to return them, but the ‘no’ was just as firm. Oddly, these rejections didn’t upset me much. In any case, these were real rejection letters- even real writers had got them.”

She continued:

“And then the second agent, who was high on the list purely because I liked his name, wrote back with the most magical words I have ever read: ‘We would be pleased to read the balance of your manuscript on an exclusive basis...”

Failure is often inevitable when you start something new but, a writer should never let their passion stop after the first hurdle. Success mostly comes at a price and is something we should all be prepared for.