Studying Failure

I recently read an article from the 2004 Harvard Business Review called Look First to Failure by Henry Petroski.

This is a very interesting article on how engineers study the failure, rather than the successes, in their field to improve.

As I read this article I wondered how this might apply to writing. I have found personally that I learn more by reading really GREAT writing. That is because I tend to imitate what I've read, therefore mediocre writing lowers my skills.

But I knew there was still an application to the writer's life in this article. Then it occurred to me. Once I've written my book I need to market it, and that is where I can learn from the failure of others.

I began to think of things that did NOT work for me when people were trying to market. Think about bad publicity you've seen surrounding books or maybe marketing that has made you decide you didn't want to buy a particular book.

Take some time to not only study the great craft of others but to look at marketing that didn't work. And if any of your brave souls would like to tell us some places you've seen bad marketing you have two options: Leave a comment or use my contact page [if you'd like to remain anonymous].

NOW I don't want us hurting anyone's feelings, the point is to learn from failed marketing. I look forward to learning from all of you.

Your Coach for the Journey, Tiffany Colter