Every piece is important to the final story.

Going into the publishing process, I was a bit overwhelmed. As a first time writer, I discovered that there was so much more than “writing” to get a handle on – learning how to develop and deliver an effective pitch, how to interview, learning how to market myself, etc. Early on, I learned that how you deal with disappointment is critical to your success. Failure can either shut you down or spur you on; you can let it define you or you define it. Simply, you always have a choice.

I strongly dislike, no, let me just say it, I hate using the word “failure.” It conjures negative, hurtful images from my time at school and maybe it does for you. Let’s replace the word ‘failure’ with the phrase (at least until I find something better) ‘brain-teaser.’ Why ‘brain-teaser?’ Well, most people enjoy solving puzzles, no matter how many attempts it takes to solve them. The joy and challenge comes from solving it and/or winning. Few people keep a record of your failures (oops, there I go using that word again). Most people will laud your accomplishment and be amazed with your success. In other words, if you’re not successful the first time you attempt something, don’t sweat over it. Watch and learn from others who have been successful and the missing links will eventually fall into place, allowing you to be successful on your own terms.

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