What is Failure?
Permission to DNF
If there’s one thing I do well, it’s trying to do too many things at once. At this very moment I’m in the midst of looking up a recipe, researching flights for my upcoming writers’ retreat, cleaning my kitchen, searching for my lost phone, and wrangling my frantic dog. So why not start this Substack post, too? That’s me doing the Julie-est of Julie-things.
Fair warning: with my endless to-do list growing daily, my SUBSTACK posts might come at you in fits and starts. I have every intention of writing them on a schedule. Ideally once per week. Maybe once every two weeks. But maybe two in one week and none the following week. Or, I might forget entirely.
If I fall behind, feel free to send a message like, “Hey Julie, where the $%#@ are you?”
You have no idea how much planning and time it takes to write scintillating stories and captivating tales!
However, today’s post is easy because someone else wrote it - kinda. My dear friend, writing partner, collaborator on all things related to writing, SARA LAFONTAIN, wrote the recent article on our shared Substack called Iris and Ivy Reads. (Yes, please go there and follow us). Anyway, Sara wrote a great piece which I’ll summarize with this:
SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME.
The gist of it is that it’s okay to bail on a book you’re not enjoying. Three, four, ten chapters in you find you hate the story or think the plot is ridiculous or can’t relate to so many annoying characters? Quit, quit now, don’t waste another minute. Not finishing is not failure. It’s protecting your precious time. Would you continue eating a meal that tastes awful, sit through a movie that’s putting you to sleep, spend time with someone you can’t stand? God, I hope not!
As an avid reader and supportive friend to fellow authors, I’ve always tried diligently to finish books I start. I hated DNFing a book. But I hate it no longer. In fact, I find it liberating.
There are so many WONDERFUL books out there. Go find one. That’s what libraries are for.
Link to Iris and Ivy Substack and MY voice
PS: JULIE DOING JULIE THINGS IS FREE. YOU CANNOT SEND ME MONEY OR BUY ME COFFEE. IF YOU ARE ASKED FOR ANY PAYMENT, BLAME SUBSTACK. OR BLAME ME FOR NOT SETTING IT UP RIGHT. YES, I LIKE MONEY. IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT ME OR MY WORK, RECOMMEND MY SUBSTACK TO OTHERS, TALK ABOUT MY WRITING, CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE, BUY A BOOK (read it, review it!). OR SEND ME A MESSAGE TO SAY HI. I LIKE PEOPLE.
Yay!
congrats for starting!