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“Try, Try, and Try Again…and You Will Succeed.”

Is it taking you years to achieve your goal?

Or much longer than you envisioned when you started out.

Only a few of us ever make it on our first try, and many, not even on our second, third, fourth or more attempts.
So how long should we keep going before giving up?
It depends on how much we believe in our dreams and goals, and wanting them badly enough to battle for them. It depends on our determination and perseverance.
It depends on treating every setback as another learning experience rather than as another defeat.
And ultimately, it depends on never losing sight of what we want to achieve.

The Spider That Wouldn’t Give Up.
The quote, “Try, try, and try again,” comes from a legend about the 14th century King of Scotland, Robert the Bruce, and a spider.

After Robert the Bruce was defeated for the sixth time by the King of England, he fled and hid in a cave. He lay there, ready to give up all hope, when a spider caught his eye. It was hanging by a long silvery thread from one of the wooden beams above his head, and trying to swing itself to another beam. It tried again and again, failing each time. Six times.

Robert thought, “I too have failed six times in my fight for Scotland. But if this spider succeeds the next time, I will try once more to regain my kingdom.”
The spider swung again – and on its seventh attempt, it succeeded.

Robert the Bruce threw off his despair and went on to battle the English and eventually, won at the Battle of Bannockburn.

He regained his kingdom – all because of one spider that wouldn’t give up.

This story’s premise holds true in almost any battle in our lives. Robert the Bruce’s success followed a series of failures. The same can happen to any of us – if we’re willing to try again and again and have the courage to look beyond failure.

My own story is not a success story – yet.
“There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream.” ~Author Unknown

Youthful dreams vs. adult reality
I wrote my first, full-length novel – 240 typed double spaced pages – when I was 12. And rewrote it twice. I dreamed of the day when I’d become a famous writer.
At 14, I wrote my second novel. It was “considered” by MacMillan but rejected because a book written by a young adult would not find an audience. Years later, “Eragon” written by 16 year old Christopher Paolini would become both a bestseller and a hit movie.
I wrote my third novel at 16. I still hope to get it published – some day.

When I was 22, I started another book, but gave it up to travel around Europe. Several years later, a published friend showed the first chapters to his agent at William Morris. I received a note saying it was magnificent, and to clean it up and send him the rest.
This happened one week before I was married, two weeks before I started a new job, and a month before my three-year old started pre-school.
Instead, I shoved my manuscript into a box in a closet where it remained for the next quarter century.

The long road to nowhere.

    In my early fifties, I pulled out the yellowed pages of my unfinished manuscript from its box. I’d revive my “magnificent” book and this time, it would be published. I wrote a whole new draft in four months on a manual typewriter. Once more, I dreamed mt childhood dream and that my novel would become a blockbuster.

    My “blockbuster” required tons of research, dedication, brushing up on craft, and editing with a read and critique group. I spent five years working on it – ten drafts – until it was in good enough shape, I thought, to look for an agent. Rejection letters piled up, including from the same agent who had loved it years before.
    Reality set in. So the book went back into the closet.

    In the next years, I wrote three more books. I received the best rejection letters (one, two-pages handwritten) ever, but no takers, for one of my non-fiction books.
    The computer age had changed everything. More people than ever were writing books. Agents, inundated with query letters, seldom had time for unknown authors. You had to go to a conference to meet them. And publishers were accepting fewer books.
    In the decade of 2000, the publishing world experienced a radical change.
    The way I’d hoped/expected to be published, the traditional route, seemed barred for me.
    I’d missed the boat. Time to give up.

    There’s still a way – just not the way I envisioned
    Then I thought about all the people who had encouraged me and believed in me over the years. All the work and the sacrifices I’d made to become a good writer.
    I thought about my father who, when he died, left an attic full of finished manuscripts.
    No, I couldn’t give up. Or better said, I’d come too far to give up.

    So I’m still at it, as anyone reading this blog can see. I’m learning as much as I can about this, for me, daunting new world of Social Media, and focusing on my non-fiction book, “Don’t Hang Up!”

    And what about that all important novel?
    I’ll be damned if I let it wither again on my closet shelf again.
    If I don’t lose sight of my goal, it will find a publisher. Of that, I am certain.

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    This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 1st, 2011 at 5:26 am and is filed under Mid life motivations, Writers and Writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

20 Responses to ““Try, Try, and Try Again…and You Will Succeed.””

  1. John Wolf says:
    February 1, 2011 at 5:03 pm

    Well, when you start out with low esteem and expectations, then it’s not such a big thing to fail repeatedly. I’m sure I would have stomped the spider, cleaned up my cave, and went outside, yawned, and said, “Hey, it’s a beautiful new day.” and moved on. I never really wanted to own a kingdom. I think the ladder to success is one rung at a time, not jumping to the top in a single bound. I have the Chinese philosophy of a death of many cuts, or if it takes a thousand years, I will succeed. I don’t need fame, and from all I can see, it’s not all that it’s cracked up to be. The Japanese find Nirvana in simplicity. Somewhere in all these tangled thought patterns a nice weave comes out that’s it’s okay to keep trying, but don’t bust your pick doing it. Scotsmen are used to banging their heads on a brick wall. It’s not all that different than the hangover from a single malt benge.

    Reply
    • Penelope says:
      February 1, 2011 at 10:01 pm

      Jack, your comment combines wit, philosophies, and basic common sense, and had me laughing my head off, particularly the part about Scotsmen banging their heads against a brick wall. Or, for that matter, looking at a spider for inspiration. I like what you said about it’s okay to keep trying but don’t bust your pick doing it. However, these days, with all the options available to those of us willing to follow up on them, there’s no reason to give up on our dreams.

      Reply
  2. GutsyWriter says:
    February 2, 2011 at 12:36 am

    I admire that you’ve written so many novels and non-fiction on top. At the conference I attended in SD, you’re right: everyone feels upbeat. I’m curious how your appointments went with agents and editors. Did you feel the conference was worth it? Of course everyone wants to get their book published, but I think with the publishing world today, we have to be realistic. They don’t really want first time authors unless they have a huge platform. How many have 20,000 hits/month. No one that I’m aware of. So perhaps self-publishing is the way to go for all of us. There are distributors for self-published authors. It’s very difficult to know what’s right. Keep positive. Your writing is wonderful.

    Reply
    • Penelope says:
      February 2, 2011 at 9:18 pm

      Sonia, Yes, I did feel the conference was worth it. In 2008. I pitched 7 agents and 1 editor (some informally) and 6 requested my first 50 pages. All sent me glowing rejection letters about my writing/book but overall consensus: I needed to build my credentials and have an online presence. Unfortunately, as the publishing world is inundated with memoirs, unless they are written by personalities or journalists, or are about an extraordinary accomplishment/a newsworthy subject, first-time authors probably have a 1% chance of finding representation or being published. So self-publishing is the way to go as long as you are willing to invest time and money in marketing/promotional efforts with a guru to show you how. And don’t expect to make a cent from book sales, but it will give you a platform for other money making activities and if it’s reasonably successful, some writing credentials that may help pave the way for your next book.

      Reply
  3. James Davenport says:
    February 3, 2011 at 6:51 pm

    Really enjoyed your article about not quitting. I have found this theme to be very consistent – perseverance is the key to success.

    Found your blog through linkedin. Please visit mine at http://lifebyteswithjames.blogspot.com or http://allamericanmartialarts.blogspot.com

    James

    Reply
  4. christopher says:
    February 3, 2011 at 9:18 pm

    Don’t Hang Up!!! Keep on dialing. Sooner or later, someone will answer.

    Reply
  5. Walter says:
    February 4, 2011 at 5:55 am

    Thank you, Penelope, for sharing the story of the journey so far. I feel better now. Have not finished one book yet and did not attempt to publish any of the short stories, but now I have something to look forward to, besides rejection letter. I will focus on the target audience consisting of my mom, my pet rabbit, and many spiders around the house. Oh, and everyone whose email I know.

    Reply
    • Penelope says:
      February 4, 2011 at 9:39 pm

      Walter,
      Glad that you feel better after reading about my journey. All the more reason to start trying to get your short stories published. You’ll grow a hard shell for rejections. As for your target audience, I hope you aim a bit higher than the ones you mentioned. It takes time, but just keep at it and more new readers will find you.

      Reply
  6. Giulietta Nardone says:
    February 6, 2011 at 11:30 pm

    Hi Penelope,

    Maybe you could get the young adult book published now? It’s amazing how close-minded folks are to new ideas. I see it all the time. Such resistance. You are most prolific. Writing books is clearly in your blood!

    G.

    Reply
    • Penelope says:
      February 7, 2011 at 7:24 pm

      Giulietta, Yes, writing books is in my blood – unfortunately – as is storing them in manuscript form – so far. Hope I can change both of those things as I’d like to branch out more, write short stories, articles, essays, etc. As for the young adult novel, you never know.

      Reply
  7. smcopywrite says:
    February 6, 2011 at 11:44 pm

    We all need to consider what we define as success. Should we lower the bar and set several bars? This way we can achieve success at intervals and have good feelings and feedback and move on to the next level.

    Each person is different and it depends on what they want, need and desire for success.

    Reply
    • Penelope says:
      February 7, 2011 at 7:28 pm

      I like the idea of several bars and achieving success at intervals as they can fuel us to climb up to the next bar. But why lower the bar rather than set it high, with reasonable intervals, and just keep climbing?

      Reply
  8. madhur says:
    February 8, 2011 at 4:27 am

    Woooowww
    You inspire me….that’s amazing and I wish you all the luck….
    A shout out to all publishers…if you publish a book… at least I’ll buy it :) ..1 copy guaranteed

    Reply
  9. Seré says:
    February 8, 2011 at 4:51 am

    I can relate to this in many ways…I, too, have been writing for years, experiencing close calls and near misses. But giving up never felt like an option. Sure, I could quit. But writing is my passion, it’s what I love to do. It always comes back to that. Giving up would be more than giving up a dream. It would be giving up a way of life I truly love — even with all the frustrations. I admire your tenacity. Keep writing and keep going!

    Reply
    • Penelope says:
      February 8, 2011 at 5:16 am

      Seré,
      It’s so true what you say that giving up writing is not an option. I might have considered it – in down moments – but life without writing would be impossible. It uplifts and sustains me and is also exciting and soothing, passionate and therapeutic. I hope this shows in my blog posts as, when I’m writing them, I’m off on my magic carpet again.

      Reply
  10. Brittney says:
    February 17, 2011 at 9:00 pm

    I love this blog! So happy to have found it. Encouraging, inspiring, and well written!

    Reply
  11. Samantha Bangayan says:
    October 18, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    Yes! I am always inspired when I read about your persistence and dedication, Pennie! I hold your story and Malcolm Gladwell’s piece, “The Late Bloomers,” close to my heart whenever I need a reminder that what counts is never giving up. Instead, I like to believe that all the experience we had during all those failures have made us more skilled warriors in our field! =) Best of luck during your hiatus, friend! =)

    Reply

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