It doesn’t matter whether we are reaching for the heights of success in a sporting discipline, the workplace or in writing, there are a set of traits that those who are successful will demonstrate time and again.
We look at those traits here and show their parallel to being a successful author.
Drive: Successful authors demonstrate the determination needed to work harder than most and make sure their writing project is completed.
Patience: Great authors know that you can’t rush writing and if you do, it shows.
Passion: Authors who succeed have an absolute passion for what they do. Author and director, Steven Nesbit, said once that if he could nothing else, he would still write. It’s what he does to the very core of himself. If your passion is to write, let that passion show, nurture it and rejoice in it.
Persistence: The creative writing world is full of disappointment and rejection. There is no doubt about the fact that it is not easy, usually, to land an agent or publishing deal. Many successful authors have faced countless rejections, just like the rest of us. Had that dampened their appetite for success, they might never have succeeded in the way they have. JK Rowling is a great example of that. Successful people, in any discipline, never give up, no matter how bleak the outlook.
Willingness to learn & develop: A successful author knows that there is something to be learned from every writing project, every book read and every life experience, and they’re willing to take that learning it any way they can. This willingness also helps them up when they are handed disappointments because they can view it as educational feedback, rather than failure.
Self confidence: Successful authors trust in themselves. They know they are good, even if other people can’t see it. It really is as simple as that. When you can demonstrate that unshakeable trust in yourself and your writing talent and ability, you’re already a big step closer to success.
Knowing when to quit: Just as important as persistence is knowing when to call it a day. Good authors have an intuitive sense of when to quit with a project that is just not working. There is no point in wasting your time with a project that is not inspiring you.