On Writing and Failure

Reviews

“The Canadian novelist and essayist describes the defining role rejection has played in his career and reflects on its importance in the lives of notable writers, from Ovid to Dostoyevsky and Baldwin.” — New York Times

“[Marche's] writing style is buoyant and funny. [...] When the stars are aligned, someone writes a work as provocative, informed and droll as On Writing and Failure.” — Maureen Corrigan, NPR

“On Writing and Failure romps through a series of anecdotes about the thwarted aspirations of authors so as to instruct a 'kid writer' not to hope for anything.” — Literary Review of Canada

“On Writing and Failure: Or, On the Peculiar Perseverance Required to Endure the Life of a Writer must be considered essential reading for anyone seeking to write for a living, be it as a novelist, essayist, poet, columnist, or any other writing genre. Itself exceptionally well written.” — Midwest Book Review