the most integral skill to my success as a writer

People ask me often what skill has been most integral to my success as a writer.

It’s not writing craft.

Or my ability to write strong characters.

It’s not the skill of editing my own work.

Or reading like a writer.

Or positioning a book.

All those things are important, but they’re not the MOST important.

The most important skill I’ve honed as a writer (and an entrepreneur) is persistence.

Persistence doesn’t look like much from the outside.

But for me, it looks like–

• Writing novels since 2007… even though I’ve made almost no money doing this, and have only published one book so far

• Pivoting in my business when something doesn’t work – again, and again, and again

• Showing up online even when I get critical emails or something doesn’t go the way I thought it would

When you keep showing up – or return to showing up, after pausing because you’re sick, or need a break, or are really tired – it reinforces the persistence muscle.

And the persistence muscle is what got me to query 125 literary agents.

And then keep trying to sell Catchlight when they all said no.

And keep writing books even when I get stuck, or think it’s taking way too long, or think no one’s going to want to read it.

Persistence. Is. Everything.

Developing your persistence muscle is THE key to starting – and finishing – a book.

And building it is like building any muscle: it’s uncomfortable (even painful), it’s day-in, day-out work, and one day or week of doing great doesn’t add much to the pile.

But weeks and months (and years) of exercising your persistence pay off.

Even if you can’t see how yet.