Writer Advice Rebellion: You Only Fail If You Stop Writing

"You only fail if you stop writing." - Ray Bradbury

Oooh, this one hurts. It really hurts because I had this as my screensaver for years when I was still writing. 

It was supposed to motivate me, to remind me that it didn't matter how many rejections I got, I wasn't a "failure" until I stopped writing. 

Here's the thing... I stopped writing. 

My initial shift to editing wasn't a conscious choice or a strategic business decision. I started helping authors I knew, and it grew into a business that quickly replaced writing. 

In no way was that a "failure." 

I can pinpoint the specific moment I knew it was okay for me to stop writing. 

I was sitting at a national conference with two of my closest writer friends, talking about how I planned to balance this new editing business with my own writing. 

 "Say it is five years from now, and you have not managed to publish a single book of your own, but you've helped all these other authors. How are you going to feel?" one of them asked.

I don't know exactly what look I had on my face. I know I smiled. I know the idea of that filled me with so much enthusiasm I probably vibrated the whole booth we were sitting in. 

My friends looked at each other, then back to me, and said, "You're going to be absolutely fine." 

I found a different passion. 

We are a few years past that five-year mark she asked about, and I'd say it worked out pretty well. I'm extremely proud of the success of my clients and whatever support I've been able to provide in that journey. 

I understand it isn't that easy. I know that people have deadlines, and contracts, and pre-orders, and a million reasons why they can't just stop. I'm not saying stopping is the answer to whatever writing struggle you are facing. 

I'm saying that sometimes, butt-in-chair-hands-on-keyboard isn't the answer either. 

And, if that is a choice you make, you are not a failure. 

I've seen writers stop at all levels of their careers. Some due to burnout, some due to other obligations, and some (like me) who found a different passion. 

Not one of them "failed."

Just because my passion happened to be writing adjacent, that does not make me more of a "success." 

Would I ever encourage you to stop writing? 

Of course not. 

Unless your mental and/or physical health was suffering from it. 

Unless you started to resent your story every single time you sat down to work on it. 

Unless forcing yourself to keep putting words on a page was stealing every ounce of creative energy you had, with no positive return. 

Unless it was time for you to stop writing. 

Stopping doesn't equal failure. 

It doesn't mean you will never write again. 

It doesn't mean you are lazy, irresponsible, a quitter, weak, or any of the other things that judgmental voice in your head (or those flippant memes on the internet) are telling you. 

It means you need a moment, and you are brave enough to take it for yourself. 

It means that maybe there is a different passion that's going to fill up the emptiness that struggling to write has created. 

It means that the words will wait. 

They won't spoil while you're gone. They aren't mayo left out on the kitchen counter overnight. 

It's okay for you to stop for a day, a month, even years. 

You are not a failure. 

Writing will still be there if you ever decide to return. And, if you don't? 

You are going to be absolutely fine. 

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