Mercy! Mercy! That Dang Nabed PERCY!

Failure as a Teacher

Failure as a Teacher

The lessons we learn through failure leave a big impression. On Writing. com I measure success as views. If I get views that tells me my writing has interest and if I don’t get views that says the opposite. Even better than views are reviews that click a number and still better, those which provide some written commentary. Best of all are those which currently provide all three. Trends are also important. If something starts off showing interest and the momentum quickly falls off, it shows I had the bubble briefly but then lost it.

One of the things I have tried is a contest. This has been an interesting undertaking, because it has showed a lot of views. No takers but plenty of views. This tells me that the marketing worked but the idea didn’t fly.

I also write some erotica. I write it because I want to learn how to use sexual energy to propel my work without getting into the faces of the mainstream reader. This has been a slow process but one that has had its rewards.

My blog started out strong but seemed to fizzle when I started writing about a subject that interested me but which did not seem to have much general interest.

My fantasy writing which I started out with some appeal but I got away from it and some of my mainstream readers fell away.

All of these lessons learned are invaluable and I will be reflecting on them in a hiatus I intend to take into Street Rod building. I need to let all this learning settle in before coming back and giving matters another try.

The fact that I have yet to find my stride here is more encouraging than discouraging. I have learned a great deal in the process, particularly about what doesn’t work and that has great value. What ever it is about my writing that is designed to connect with readers has failed to complete the circuit of interest. Having been successful in life, I know and have already experienced recognition and so do not find the lack of it disconcerting. Every failure shows me a turn in the wrong direction.

Writing.com is a great model for providing empirical feedback on what works and what doesn’t and I take encouragement from learning where not to go as much as I do from where I should. As a consequence I’ll be trying to branch off into some new things. I appreciate all the help and support I have received at Writing.com and wish all those I have gotten to know the very best in their writing adventures.