Attitude for a Successful Writing Career

A writer must examine their motives for wanting to write. If your sole motive is to make some extra money, I can suggest a dozen easier methods of earning a paycheck. It takes a while to break into print, longer still before you earn enough money to pay the bills. Money is a poor motivator. It turns the art of writing into a task. This does not mean you should forego being a writer, it just means you need to find a niche that does not require passion and soul searching.

When do I know I am not a writer and should quit? This question is too common, and too misdirected. I have also heard people say, "I'll start writing when . . . ." These common questions are signs of self-doubt and insecurity. There is never a right time to start, or quit anything in life. The assignment attached to this course will be the first step to starting your career.

Attitude

A writer must have a positive attitude. Writers learn methods of overcoming rejection, networking, and inspiring themselves. These simple survival skills become the writer's defense against rejection letters. To start, it is common to receive hundreds of rejection letters. Experienced writers learn that rejection letters have nothing to do with their skills - although they do decrease as the writer's skill improves. The difference between an experienced writer and an amateur, is the way they deal with rejection.

Many writers have a happy file, where they put their achievements, and an idea file. I also have a memory file. This last file has selections I felt, at the time, were very well written. Over the years, sometimes just months, I would look back on work I thought was good, and stand amazed that I could ever think the work was good enough to submit. This is my best defense against rejection. If I am continually improving, then I will survive as a writer.

Mentors

Experienced writers know they cannot go it alone. I learned this the hard way. We each have strengths and weaknesses. I edit for other people, but need a technical editor to go over my fiction. Finding experienced writers to work with is a good idea, but a writer who can secure the assistance of a writing coach, or freelance editor who will work as a mentor, will find their money well spent. In some cases, a writing coach can take months, even years, off a writer's learning curve.

Inexperienced writers claim that writer's groups are a waste of time. This is the farthest thing from the truth. It may take a while to find a writer's group that benefits each type of writer, but it is important to join groups with similar interests.

Overcoming Doubt

There will always be days when writers wonder if they are cut out for the writer's life. Bills pile up, and the financial windfall of a few months ago is forgotten. There are times when family becomes impatient with deadlines, and writers want to quit after twenty hours instead of meeting a deadline. Some days it will seem unfair that the dream of writing in your pjs, or while lounging on the deck with a cool drink, is a myth not a reality. Still, a writer keeps on. They submit one more time. They write another line. They research another paper. And, in the end, it balances out. When the truth is told, no real writer would change their life for anything.