The Uses of Failure: Lessons from Patricia Hampl at the 1985 Robert Wright Writers Conference

In 1985, the Fourth Annual Robert Wright Writer’s Conference at Mankato State University welcomed Patricia Hampl, an acclaimed American memoirist, essayist, and poet, as its keynote speaker. Known for her lyrical prose and introspective explorations of memory, identity, and spirituality, Hampl captivated attendees with her reflections on the craft of writing, drawing deeply from her own experiences. Her address, titled “The Uses of Failure,” offered a candid and practical perspective on how setbacks can shape a writer’s journey. 

I had attended the conference with the late John Prin, who had mentored me as a fledgling wanna-be writer. After having failed as a missionary, working at an orphanage in Mexico for close to a year, I began thinking more deeply and praying about what my life was really about. A year or so before I felt called to be a writer, which is a much longer story.

I met John at a writer's group in Eden Prairie, a suburb of the Twin Cities. We were fast friends. The Mankato State conference was the second we attended together. Interestingly, both of us were quite familiar with failure--John had spent ten years trying to make it as a screenwriter in Hollywood--so Ms. Hampl's keynote talk had something for both of us.

This weekend I found a notebook from that conference. Using Google Lens I was able to convert my handwriting to digital text. Below is an article summarizing the notes I took during Ms. Hampl's talk, weaving her insights together with the wisdom she imparted to a small auditorium full of aspiring writers.

Embracing Failure as a Writer 

Patricia Hampl, born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1946, has spent her career weaving personal memory with cultural and historical threads. By 1985, she had been writing for two decades, earning recognition for her memoir A Romantic Education (1981), which explored her Czech-Irish heritage and helped elevate memoir as a serious literary genre. At the conference, Hampl shared that her path to success was not linear but marked by failures that ultimately fueled her growth as a writer. “Writing, like love,” she said, “is something you give expecting nothing.” This mindset, she argued, is essential for committing to the work itself, rather than chasing external rewards.

Hampl outlined three pivotal failures that shaped her career, each offering lessons in resilience, self-validation, and clarity.

Failure 1: The Dream of the Concert Pianist

Hampl’s first failure was her childhood ambition to become a concert pianist—a dream that ended in “total failure.” Yet this setback led her to writing, a discovery that became her true calling. The lesson? Failure can redirect us to paths we might never have explored otherwise. For Hampl, the collapse of one dream opened the door to another, revealing writing as her medium for self-expression.

Failure 2: The Sting of Rejection

The late John Prin (L) and myself
during an annual meet-up in Hinckley, 2020.

Hampl recounted the emotional devastation of a rejection from The New Yorker, which left her creatively paralyzed for two years. She admitted to being unprepared for the “inflationary effects of success”—the pressure to maintain a certain standard after early achievements. This experience taught her a crucial lesson: writers must find validation from within. “I don’t care if I can’t do it well,” she said, “I just have to write.” By learning to trust the intrinsic value of her work, Hampl overcame the paralyzing fear of external judgment.

Failure 3: The Perils of Inflated Expectations

Her third failure came when a major magazine commissioned her to write a piece on Sylvia Plath. The pressure to produce something extraordinary led to what Hampl called an “inflating situation,” where lofty expectations hindered her ability to write authentically. This experience underscored the importance of understanding what rejection means—not as a verdict on one’s worth, but as an opportunity to refine one’s craft and perspective.

Practical Strategies for Sustaining the Writing Life

Hampl didn’t just dwell on failure; she offered practical advice for sustaining oneself as a writer. Her suggestions were grounded in simplicity and self-care, emphasizing the importance of staying connected to the joy of writing:

1. Relax: Let go of perfectionism to free your creative energy.
2. Take long walks: Physical movement can clear the mind and spark inspiration.
3. Surround yourself with supportive friends: A community that believes in your writing can provide emotional sustenance.
4. Read voraciously: Immersing yourself in others’ work fuels creativity and perspective.
5. Embrace diversity: Allow yourself to explore varied interests and experiences to enrich your writing.
6. Resist the “mystery” of marketing: Focus on the craft, not the pressure to sell your work.

Hampl’s advice was pragmatic, urging writers to prioritize clarity over the pursuit of masterpieces. “You don’t put things down on paper to produce masterpieces,” she said, “but to gain clarity.” This perspective reframes writing as an act of discovery, not a race to perfection.

The Inner Peace of Writing

Hampl’s talk was peppered with insights that resonated beyond the page. Quoting Ettie Hillimson, she shared, “The fear of missing out is what keeps us out of things.” For writers, this fear can manifest as a fixation on external validation or unattainable standards, which stifles creativity. Instead, Hampl advocated for keeping standards low enough to maintain motivation, avoiding the paralysis of perfectionism. “Every time I get high-falootin’ about my writing, I crash,” she confessed, highlighting the dangers of bloated ambitions.

She also emphasized the value of “going away” for sustained immersion in one’s work. Whether it’s a physical retreat or a mental space carved out for writing, this dedicated time fosters the clarity and focus needed to grow. Hampl echoed Hillimson again: “The more peace there is in us, the more peace there will be in our troubled world.” For Hampl, writing is not just a craft but a path to inner peace, a way to navigate the chaos of life through reflection and creation.

Failure as a Catalyst for Growth

Her keynote was a reminder that failure is not the opposite of success but a vital part of it. By sharing her own struggles—failed dreams, crushing rejections, and inflated expectations—she showed that setbacks are not endpoints but opportunities for growth. Her message to the writers at Mankato State University was clear: embrace failure, learn from it, and let it guide you toward clarity and authenticity.

For aspiring writers, Patricia Hampl’s insights remain timeless. 

Photos: LaVerne Harrell Clark, 1980 (top) and 1995.