How to Fail: Outline

All, I got invited to talk at the Pikes Peak Writer’s Conference in April!  I completely bounced off the walls when I found out; I think it’s one of those things that I subconsciously marked at “a sign of success” but didn’t know it.

When I’m making more $$$ as a freelancer, I’d like to sponsor a scholarship for teenaged horror/sf/fantasy writers, but that ain’t happening this year, yo.

Anyway, I’m going to start working through what I want to say in great length on my blog, so I can say it better (and shorter) at the conference.

Topic:  How to Fail (and Keep on Writing).

I figure I know something about failing and not giving up.

Here’s the blurb:

Are you a writer who’s afraid of rejection? Do you have a drawer full of stories that you don’t think are fit to see the light of day? Learn how to submit your work, survive rejection, and increase your chances of success.

And here’s the outline:

  • Intro: Why is failing so hard? The writer/plot model.
  • We’re not failing too much, we’re not failing enough.
  • Talent vs. hard work.
  • Getting published doesn’t mean freedom from failure.
  • You can’t control success, but you can control failure.
  • Writing a failure goal for the year (x rejections).
  • How to fail SMARTER by being a pro.
    • Reading like a pro.
    • Writing like a pro.
    • Networking like a pro.
    • Formatting like a pro (no bunny slippers).
  • Closing: Even pros fail; fail like a pro.
  • Questions.

So, expect some noodling around on such a subject.

Meanwhile, I’m also reading Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error, by Kathryn Schulz, but it’s tough. Reading about being wrong–just thinking about it–is very hard.

More to come.

3 thoughts on “How to Fail: Outline”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top