Comments on: Failure First, Success Second

By: Mary Ellen Latela

Mary Ellen Latela — Sun, 27 Sep 2015 18:46:00 +0000

Ryann:

Thanks for telling your story. What may have seemed like failure at the time was not… it was part of the learning process…. there is the writing … there is the compelling stuff that makes your writing stand out, and there is the business of writing. All take time and energy to learn.

So glad that you dealt with your fear of failure … because without slipping a few times, we never would have learned to walk. Best Wishes!

By: Ryann Dannelly

Ryann Dannelly — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 03:48:56 +0000

In reply to Victoria Griffin.

Victoria,

That’s so great to hear! Thank you so much for those kinds words! Keep pushing forward with your writing, as well–only great things can come if you do so. Writing is an endless series of growth opportunities. Even when one project doesn’t pan out on the querying front, it was still a vital step in the growth of your craft. Your writing changes and evolves each time you sit down to work on it. It’s a journey worth fighting to continue, if you as me.

Best of luck to you too! I’m sure the hard work and perseverance will pay off in the long run. Keep writing! Ryann

By: Victoria Griffin

Victoria Griffin — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 19:25:09 +0000

As a D1 softball player and writer, this article hits very close to home for me. My experience with the first novel I queried was exactly the same—a haphazard slew of queries resulting in ultimate failure. But it’s a process. I am now editing a new project that I know is much better than the previous one. Whether it is published or not, it is a definite improvement, and I know the next one will be an improvement on it.

Thank you for the wonderful article. It’s always nice to hear about others whose journeys are similar to my own. Best of luck with your new project; I’ll be watching for it on the shelves.

By: Ryann Dannelly

Ryann Dannelly — Mon, 16 Feb 2015 03:07:59 +0000

In reply to Mary Chris Escobar.

Thanks Mary! It’s definitely all about approaching it with the right mindset.

Even if you don’t reach the “end goal” of getting an agent or getting published with one project, your writing will have inevitably improved in the process. And isn’t that really all you can hope for as a writer?

A couple weeks ago, I went back and read an early (and painfully rough) chapter from my first attempt at a novel and compared it to where I’m at now. The progress was insurmountable. It makes all of the trials and failures and endless hours writing and reading and editing worth it. It was a great feeling!

I truly belief that failure is one of the best teachers. I’m glad the post helped you in your writing journey. Keep writing!

By: Mary Chris Escobar

Mary Chris Escobar — Sun, 15 Feb 2015 20:29:46 +0000

Great blog post! I needed the reminder about failure and repositioning today.

I’m so glad that you decided to continue writing. Isn’t it amazing to go back and look at those older stories and see how much your writing style has developed?

All the best to you in your journey.

By: Marley Writes

Marley Writes — Tue, 13 Jan 2015 19:42:32 +0000

Wow! What a great article and so timely! I can relate. I also wrote a fiction novel back in 2006, embarked on the process of sending hundreds of query letters to potential agents, only to be rejected at every turn. That rejection hurt so much that I stopped writing fiction and dove into grant and technical writing in 2007 and gave up fiction all together. Just recently I’ve decided to go back into fiction. I realized that I love to write – anything – and that fiction is my first love, so appropriately trying to make it a career in the immediate was bound to break my heart. Much like rejection in dating, I’ve decided to get back into the fiction writing ‘dating game’ only this time, I’m not wearing my heart on my sleeve – though I am writing for the love of it. Check out my latest fiction venture, Castleview Hills: An Internet Soap Opera at: https://castleviewhills.wordpress.com/

By: Kris Mehigan

Kris Mehigan — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 12:00:14 +0000

Thank you for sharing your inspiring words. Your growth is evident and I hope it results in seeing your manuscript in a bookstore someday.

PS- Go Spiders!

By: Ryann Dannelly

Ryann Dannelly — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 01:05:02 +0000

In reply to Rebecca Stonehill. Rebecca, that's great to hear! I'm finding that many writers just starting out have quite similar experiences in trying to great into the industry. Getting that close to being signed is crushing, but eventually, that feeling became the fuel to spur me onward. Write, write, and learn from your writing, at least that's what I've learned from my experiences so far. :) Best of luck with your new novel as well!

By: Rebecca Stonehill

Rebecca Stonehill — Sun, 13 Apr 2014 08:26:11 +0000

Hi Ryann, It was good to read about your experiences. I too ploughed into gaining representation for my first novel and, like you, three agents asked for the full manuscript but none of them took it on which felt like such a huge blow when I believed in it so much. I am now working on my second novel and now, with the benefit of hindsight, feel like I’m going into it with a different level of maturity and understanding. Maybe the 1st one was just warm-up for me. Best of luck with your new novel! 🙂 Rebecca

By: Ryann Dannelly

Ryann Dannelly — Thu, 10 Apr 2014 18:38:54 +0000

In reply to Hanna. Thanks, Hanna! Failure in life is bound to happen, but it doesn't defines us. What defines us is how we respond to that failure and rise back up.