Friday, April 26, 2013

The 4 Attributes of a writer

Patience, perseverance, enthusiasm and a firm determination to reach the goal are necessary not just for writers, but for success in any field. For writers patience is needed in abundance: as from the time a story is conceived in our minds to the time the final manuscript is ready to journey to the various publishing houses and editors, it can be anything from a few months to several years.

Its patience that sees us plough through draft after draft, rewrite and revise until our fingers become numb, chisel every extra word and polish until the manuscript sparkles. 

Perseverance is what sees writers seek publishing year after year even after the rejections pile up. We know deep down that it’s just a matter of time before we write that breakthrough story/novel that will propel our manuscripts to the top of the pile and make people in position notice us.  
            
We just cannot sustain a writing life without enthusiasm for our stories, characters and plots. Even when we would rather catch up with all our other activities, enjoy the freedom that other people have, we greet the errant muse with enthusiasm when he drops in unexpectedly at the ungodly hour of 3.a.m, when the rest of the world is safely ensconced in their snug blankets. Better an untimely muse than no muse!

Its enthusiasm that sees us working at our laptops to add more words to our ever growing story. Enthusiasm sustains us during those times when criticism stalks us at every step. We know that writing is our passion and as long as there are some people who like what we have written, we will be enthusiastic enough to write more for them.

What finally sees us arrive safely at the top of the summit (read bag a publishing contract) is a firm determination to reach the goal. Determination is what I consider inner strength, where we want to see our stories reach out to people and make a difference in their lives.

 What really helps is visualizing our goals: seeing us holding our published books in our hands strengthens our resolve to make our dreams come true.

Do these four traits constantly surround you? What else motivates you to keep typing when the rejection slips pile up and criticism and rejection walk toward us? Have these four traits deserted you at any time? What have you done then? How have you got them back?      

23 comments:

  1. Very true, Rachna! Without these attributes we can go far:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, these traits surround me. For me, it's not rejection letters, it's revisions.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Not sure I'm always surrounded by them. I just plod through during the hard times. And I still think we need them once we get a publishing contract.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think it's natural to go periods where you feel less enthusiastic, but those times pass. If you really want to succeed you don't have any other choice but to keep at it.

    mood
    Moody Writing

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes, they have abandoned me but I rest assured on the fact they always come back at one time or another. Patience never leaves me although I feel it does sometimes. But if I had not patience, I wouldn't wait for the other three to return. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Patience and perseverance...yup need lots of those:) I try to be kind of Zen about it...just let the writing flow and not questioning it:)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Rachna,

    So true that we need all of the qualities you mentioned to keep doing what we do.

    It's easy to sink into inactivity when we aren't making headway, but a dedicated writer keeps on going. That and determination kept me querying until I had three contracts and it's what's kept me on moving forward after I decided to self-publish some of my work.

    J.L. Campbell writes Jamaican Kid Lit

    ReplyDelete
  8. We need all of those attributes. I'd add dedication to readers once we start gaining them as well.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hello, I was blog hopping and reached your's.

    Beautiful blog !

    This post is a very positive one, good !

    For most of us appreciation and acceptance stimulate creativity but for a few creativity flows unabated no matter what !

    Best of luck !

    Thanks
    Rajiv
    www.magicalpresent.blogspot.com
    www.magnificentdewdrops.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nice post and lovely picture, Rachna. Enthusiasm never wanes. The creative spirit may take an occasional break but it never fades.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I think each of those traits leave every once in a while, usually while we're slogging through a swamp. But they come back. Especially when we spy a bright shiny.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi friends, thanks for visiting. Sometimes one or more of these traits completely deserts me, but eventually they return. Its those times when the traits leave me that I go into a writing slump.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I wouldn't say they always surround me, but all four have come through for me when I needed them.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Almost you talk me out of writing, for I don't see myself anywhere here at all! Nothing to disagree with, though!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Those are important traits. I'm glad to have them.

    ReplyDelete
  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  17. To be honest, some days I have no idea what keeps me going. Perhaps it's the love of writing.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I nurture these four traits everyday with water and sunshine and chocolate. :D

    ReplyDelete
  19. You've described the life of a writer perfectly! Those are definitely traits we all need to see the journey through. :)

    Have a great week!

    Angela

    ReplyDelete
  20. Those are the traits of a writer, for sure! And to just keep moving forward regardless of what anyone says because it's what we love to do.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I would say those are the traits of a real writer. A lot of people meddle, I think. They get miffed when the muse deserts them and they don't get the result they wanted and life gets in the way. And then they quit, they figure it was a fluke and move on. But real writers, as you point out, keep writing. They keep revising, keep trying, keep pushing. Because they have to write.

    I'm a real writer in training. I'm no where near that mountain top, but I am still writing, and I'm gonna keep on writing and then I'm gonna write some more. And some day, I'm starting to think, that mountaintop will be in view. And until then, I've got some writing to do.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Nice post.. As someone rightly said, Patience is the key to any sucess in life.

    ReplyDelete