Throughout history, failures or setbacks have often led creative people to discover something greater or better than the original plan. At the very least, valuable lessons were learned. Friday fudge is about creatives persevering past the obstacles, and finding delicious rewards for their tenacity and effort that they could never have imagined or hoped for in the first place.
It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default. – J.K Rowling
I’ve been thinking a lot about J.K. Rowling lately.
Just yesterday, it was announced in the media that her new book for the adult market, The Casual Vacancy will be published this September.
There were a few online posts I’ve read recently where the blogger was speculating on whether Rowling’s move into writing adult fiction was going to be as successful as her career thus far as a YA fantasy author. It annoyed me how the authors of these blog posts seemed almost keen over the prospect of Rowling failing somehow, how her new offering would probably not stand up to the same literary quality as the Potter series.
Rather than be full of admiration and eager anticipation cheering on a woman who follows the strength of her own convictions and creative inclinations (and chooses to experiment in a new, bold writing direction), some cynical people seem like they can hardly wait for the fall when they can post a wave of bad reviews of Rowling’s new adult novel.
J.K. Rowling is no stranger to feeling like a failure. She turned her life around several years ago when she was at rock bottom – severely depressed, a single parent on welfare with no job prospects in sight. Living a step away from being homeless.
She tells the moving story of how she climbed out of it in this awe-inspiring commencement address she delivered to the Harvard graduating class of 2008:
I love how she shares how her life turned around when she stopped pretending that she was anything other than what she was and re-directed her energy into finishing the manuscript for the first book in the Harry Potter series – the only work that mattered to her.
Then she persevered through twelve rejections from publishers! The 13th attempt yielded an acceptance letter, and the rest is literary and cinematic history.
I keep thinking recently about how much pressure Rowling must have been feeling over the past few years as she wrote this new work, how she is taking such a brave chance for the sake of art as she laboured and created day in, day out, until the book was done.
She had a choice to keep producing Harry books, or even other YA novels in the fantasy genre.
How many authors who achieve such fame and fortune would dare turn their creative career in a new direction, and risk harsh critical scrutiny, all because the muse led them there?
Of course, having experienced real hardship, of having nothing more to lose, and then succeeding so spectacularly would be more than adequate reinforcement to reassure any artist to step forward and take another creative gamble. Granted Rowling is a billionaire this time around, so she no longer has to worry about providing a roof over her daughter’s head!
Regardless of whether Rowling’s adult fiction will be as well-received critically as her Potter series, this determined and gifted woman continues to serve as a great example of how to maintain our artistic integrity and be courageous and confident in completing our work, to venture creatively wherever our imagination and conviction directs us, no matter the risk.
What do you think about what Rowling says that it’s impossible to truly live without failing at something? How has your ‘creative failure’ actually turned into a gift or given you direction or insight you never would have considered without experiencing it? Please feel free to share in the Comments.
Great post as always, Carole Jane. Perhaps it’s the entrepreneur in me, but I have come to embrace failure. How else can I learn? The key is to have some perspective of time. At some point in the future you’ll be in a better place, if you learn the lessons that failure taught you.
Patrick Ross recently posted..5 Things to Remember While You Blog
Excellent point about time, Patrick.
Like Jackie shared, Rowling is most definitely now is in a different (better, stronger, more experienced) place only after learning the lessons from persevering past failures,getting the first Harry book out and navigating her way to dazzling publishing success.
As I was reading your thoughtful comment, a wonderful quote/formula came to mind on this perspective that the very wise, Sue Mitchell said to me:
Awareness + Practice + Time = Change
I love this ‘formula’ as it can be applied to almost every aspect of our lives, not just for our creative career.
I get so upset with all the sniping and negativity but I have to remind myself that the snipers are just the people who are frustrated with themselves. I hadn’t really followed the news of Rowling’s new book, so I’m glad to get up to date on it. I’ll read her adult novel for sure. She’s a literary icon, not just because of the quality of her writing, but because of how she believed in herself and persevered.
I’ve had a gazillion creative failures. When writing a novel, they happen in little ways all the time–a scene doesn’t work, a character isn’t quite right, and I find if I allow myself to observe what’s going on (instead of getting all worked up about it) out of failure comes beautiful answers.
Charlotte Rains Dixon recently posted..7 Steps to Handle Rejection
I really appreciate how you share about stoically persevering through the ‘gazillion’ creative failures or missteps, especially during the long process of writing a novel, Charlotte. Maybe some expect the experience to be a little more easy going than it is, hence the reason why not many novelists make it to published status like yourself (I seriously can’t wait to read ‘Emma Jean’s Bad Behavior’ by the way!).
I imagine it feels a bit like one of my favourite lines from a song: “Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight/You’ve got to kick at the darkness ’til it bleeds daylight” (from ‘Lovers in a Dangerous Time’ by Bruce Cockburn).
I love this: “Out of failure comes beautiful answers.” I’m going to put that in my quotes folder, thanks!
I look forward to her book, I feel certain she has much more to her armoury than we’ve even begun to bear witness to. I would imagine it might be quite different, she’s in a very different place, and for those who want to compare it to her other works, it might seem like failure. Whatever it is, it should be looked at on its own merits.
You asked though about creative failure. I hadn’t thought of my marriage being a creative failure, but I guess in a way it must have been!! I have however created a happy ending!
Jackie Walker recently posted..Cinderella is a great role model
Hi Jackie, so glad you popped by!
First off, thanks to CommentLuv, for bringing my attention to the title of your latest post. I’m ever so curious because I love reading/mining fairy tales for life lessons, and resisting the urge to go right now and check out what you have to say about what we can learn from Cinderella(I seem to have missed the Tweet about it).
I admire you even more now for your constant willingness to be so open and considering your marriage as a creative failure, recognizing the whole experience and the growth and what came after as a magical path to establishing a happy ending for you. Not only have you managed to get a happy ending (or continuation?) for your life, but you are using your gifts and life experience to lovingly help many others realize and work towards creating their very own happy endings as well, rather than staying in rags and drudgery and misery. How amazing is that?
I love the Friday Fudge series! I was eagerly awaiting the next installment, and you’ve once again delivered the goods. Fudge is a great symbol for this series because it feels like such a treat each time, even though you’re also examining some of the more painful stuff about creativity.
Reading this was thought-provoking – and also very supportive of yourself and your readers. I felt supported in my quest to be true to my own creativity. JK Rowling is truly an inspiration and a great role model.
The naysayers have always been around – social media can just make it seem worse. In my work with writers who suffer from fear of writing, I’ve heard so many devastating stories about (for example) English teachers and college professors destroying the morale of someone who was showing some writing talent – and it’s obvious the behavior came from feeling unconsciously threatened. Can’t have the student showing more creativity than the teacher.
Those teachers are probably in the minority, but because I’ve heard so many of these stories, sometimes it has *seemed* all-pervasive. I know I’ve also heard plenty of stories of teachers who’ve inspired and supported their students to a high degree. But that usually gets less coverage or attention (even by the way our retentive brains remember the negatives instead of the positives, unfortunately).
It warmed my heart to see a news story a few weeks ago about a dear lady who started teaching in 1935 and just celebrated her 100th birthday – and she’s still teaching! Her success rate with teaching reading to little kids is because she gives each of them individual reading time. And because she cares. Here’s the video (sorry about the ad – but it’s worth sitting through to see this):
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/46725721#46725721
Milli Thornton recently posted..Woody Allen’s Sensational Success Tip for Writers
Thanks for the encouragement, Milli, glad you’re enjoying the series.
In my observations and experiences over the years, I’ve found some professors can be pretty obvious about how threatened they are with a student’s creative talent. I agree some unfortunately don’t handle their position of power and influence with care and consideration. So glad you posted this video of that wonderful teacher here to share – we need to pass along more positive, inspirational news like this!
Okay, first of all, the idea that Rowling would write something that wasn’t any good is just ridiculous! The people speculating about her potential failure in adult literature were just creating a story where there wasn’t one.
Rowling’s taking a “risk” by going into adult fiction (which I would also argue she has already written, as huge numbers of adults read all 8 kajillion words of the Potter books) also reflects her understanding that not all of your creative work is going to be equal. You don’t have to keep bettering your best–you just won’t. Some of your work will be outstanding, some pretty good and some will have lots of room for improvement. But as a creative person, you have to keep exploring. That’s the name of the game.
Another wonderful post, Carole! Friday Fudge is such an inspiring series.
Sue Mitchell recently posted..Protecting Your Most Precious Creative Tool
I agree, Sue, those speculators were probably just looking for more visits on their websites.
What a relief we creatives don’t have to ‘keep bettering our best’, we just need to be true to our authentic creative calling, work on it, then ‘ship it’ as Seth Godin says
Like I’ve heard you say often enough, it’s all one big experiment
I’m with James Taylor, might as well (try and)enjoy the ride!
Very thought-provoking and well-written. It does amaze me how eager many are to see someone who has “made it” fail. As if, by knocking them from their pedestal will make room for ourselves. As if there is a limited supply of success in the world and someone else has to fail for us to succeed. I for one hope she knocks it out of the ball park. But like you said, she should be admired for taking the risk to again follow her muse.
Brenda recently posted..This Place
So glad we’re on the same page, Brenda. I find this negative, critical and cold default mentality has become more pervasive and ‘normal’ with the rising popularity of social media in mainstream society, and I fear most of us have become immune to its insidiousness influencing how we treat one another and how we treat ourselves for that matter.
I love this quote from Mark Twain: “Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great”, and I definitely believe Rowling is genuinely a great artist and leader. I admire her audacity and integrity very, very much.