This is what giving up in the face of failure looks like…

There is nothing more discouraging for a writer or an artist of any form, to be ignored or have his or her work met with indifference.

Whatever you create, whether it’s a blog post, a novel, an article, a YouTube video, a film, a play or an album of music, if no one gives a shit to see or hear it — it’s worse than getting a bad review.

At least a bad review means it moved someone enough to hate it and have the energy to say something about it. In the end, a negative reaction to creative output is sign that you’ve moved someone – even if it means they had to hold their nose and shout how you sucked.

At least someone saw your work and it created a reaction.

What stinks about being a writer or creator of any kind, is keeping the faith when nobody gives a goddamn about your work. Writing is a pain in the ass, frankly. You have to sit and think and stay engaged with the process believing you’re going to possibly be met with a field of crickets and empty seats out there in your arena.

Indifference is the biggest creativity killer of all. Not bad reviews.

Being met by indifference from the very people you are writing for – stinks.

And then when you see indifference all around you, good old resistance rears its ugly head to tell say, “See? You’re not worth it. So stop writing and get back on Facebook and read about how a kitten in Austin learned how to bake bread.”

I’m not going to lie. I’m lost and floating out in a sea of indifference. I keep trying to make little steps toward progress on my coaching, reaching out to people to try and build something interesting, but I can’t even give away spots in my writing community for FREE.

Is this whining? Yeah – so what? I’m pissed, okay?

You know why? Because after self publishing a book of short stories, I’m met with indifference from people who are too polite to say it was milk toast boring crap so they are silent. If you have nothing good to say… Of course, it’s with the exception of a few who praised it.

Or…because when I tried to get promotional gigs at local bookstores, I was met with “We don’t do those kind of books.” It’s not fun being in debt when your act of being expansive and getting ‘uncomfortable’ by investing in a creative goal, flunked.

Indifference. And in turn, I offer indifference back.

So, I’m on here to say, I’m backing away from this for a while. I need a break from being a writing cheerleader because resistance has won in the face of indifference and I can’t put up this front anymore.  I need to recharge or find some kind of hope in the face of another failure to get me going again. But right now – I’m done.

Take this as your own personal incentive to write. Do not give up. Because I’ll be in the corner being jealous of your new novel and wondering what might have been.

Success is the difference between failing and quitting and failing and trying again. And the way I feel today, I may just let failure win.

But, I’ll probably be back tomorrow writing away anyway. Even though this post will also be met with indifference.

 

 

 

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