I’ve said it before and I don’t mine repeating it: The # 1 thing you need if you want to make it as a writer—and I’ll leave it to you to define “making it” for yourself—is not talent, training, connections, or luck. It’s perseverance—the ability to keep your fingers to the keyboard or your pen to the page whether your writing is soaring or slumping.
Perseverance isn’t magical. It isn’t bestowed on us by the gods. We’re not born with it. It’s something we can choose. It isn’t always easy, especially when we face repeated frustrations or disappointments, but there are things we can do to foster it. Here are 7 habits that will help you keep writing even when you’re facing a tough time.
1. Write to write. If you are writing to become famous, make money, impress your friends, see your name in print, or make up for the personal failings you think you have, you are writing for the wrong reasons. It’s all right to want recognition, but it shouldn’t be the reason you sit down to write. Write for the joy. Write for the fun. Write because that is what you’re called to do. Don’t write to get published or admired. Write in order to write.
2. Write what you love. Forget about what you think you should be working on—write what makes your heart sing. Perhaps you think only literary novels are respected, so you’re trudging through one when you’d rather be penning a steamy romance. Or maybe you shun short stories or poetry because you’ve heard that novels sell more. If you’re writing in any genre, style, or form that isn’t what you truly want to write, stop this minute. Follow your heart into whatever kind of writing you love, and ignore what the rest of the world says.
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3. Take rejections with a grain of salt. The very word “rejection” sounds so dreary—as if someone you loved just slammed the door in your face. But rejections in the writing life are as common as head colds. They don’t mean your writing is bad or that you’re never going to be successful. They don’t really mean much of anything. Everyone gets them. Shrug them off and move on.
4. Be patient. I have a dear friend who is a wonderful writer, but has just recently started sending her work out. When I spoke with her a few weeks ago, she was quite upset. Her writing group had highly praised one of her essays, and she felt it was the best thing she’d ever written. But, as she explained to me over coffee, “Both of the journals I submitted it to rejected it.” I almost choked on my latte. Both? I’ve had pieces rejected dozens and dozens of times. Even small literary journals get ten times more submissions than they can use. As the editor of one, I’ve rejected many excellent works simply because of lack of space. Keep in mind that getting published can take time. Be patient. It will happen.
5. Get your work into the world. There are many ways besides traditional publishing to share your work with others. You can publish it yourself, post it on your blog or someone else’s, share it on a social media site, read it to your writing group, or even email it to a few friends. Knowing your work is being read will give you the energy to keep going.
6. Try new things. I always encourage writers to experiment, even if they feel they’ve found the niche that is right for them. Once in awhile, give a new genre or style a try. You never know what it will lead to—and even if it goes nowhere, it will help you expand your skills and stretch your writing muscles.
7. Create a community. Feeling you are all alone in the difficult endeavor of writing is miserable. Join a writing group—or start one. Take a class. Find a teacher or writing coach. Connect with other writers online. A community of writers can provide support, advice, and ideas. No one understands the writing life like other writers. Find them.
Returning to the page day after day is something most writers find challenging. What methods do you use to help you keep going? What gives you the energy and confidence to write when things get hard? Share them here.
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As always, Jill, you provide great ideas that we put to use immediately. Thank you!
Thanks, Nancy. Glad to hear you found the post useful!