Collin Brooke and Allison Carr talk to us about why failure in writing is necessary while learning in their cowritten exert titled, “Failure Can Be an Important Part of Writing Development. Writing doesn’t just come to us as a born-to-do skill. We have to learn it, and in our learning journies, we will make mistakes. Brooke and Carr speak on how while you are learning, and even after, it’s okay to make mistakes. As long as you learn from them.
“One of the most important things students can learn is that failure in an opportunity for growth” (Brooke, Carr)
Brooke and Carr explain that having a teacher that is willing to give you the time to learn from mistakes is a great way to keep open communication. This way we know that it’s okay to talk about the things that we aren’t sure about. We can reach out to our peers and professors to learn from them.
No two writers are the same. No writer is ever going to be born with the skill of writing. Writing is always changing and evolving so it’s important for us to accept our failures, and use them to learn.
The Merriam-Webster website lists the definition of failure as, “lack of success.” Brooke and Carr by the end of the exert help us to understand that as long as we continue to learn and grow our writing journey, while it may not be easy, will be worth it.
This reading really made me think about what I thought about failure as a whole and not just in my writing. I have always been a perfectionist. I would feel terrible and say that I was a failure if I didn’t get it right the first time. But that isn’t what learning is about.
Humans aren’t born more with any other skills than the basics we need to survive. We learn everything else. So why am I crushed by anxiety when learning a new skill? Why am I so afraid to fail?
As the oldest girl, and big sister in my family it always felt like there was this immense pressure to succeed. My mother, although I know she meant well, pushed me hard, harder than my siblings it seemed. Failure to me meant disappointing my mom. I never wanted to do that. I never want to disappoint anyone. But it’s okay to learn.
After reading this exert I can’t say that I no longer have a fear of failing, or that I no longer care about disappointing people close to me. But I can say that I am more comfortable with the fact that every day I am learning. Every day I am growing. I will continue to make mistakes, but as long as I keep learning from them it will be okay. I will be okay.
One of my favorite authors sums failure up in this perfect quote.
“Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.” – C.S. Lewis
