The Secret Quality of Successful Writers

“You will never overcome your fear that your writing is insipid or incomprehensible–write in spite of the fear.” -Inspiration & Motivation, Paul Raymond Martin

I still struggle with this fear on a daily basis.  I only have to read through what I wrote the day before and I start to question the wisdom of following the writer’s path.  Surely no other writer writes as badly as I do…  repetitive action, dull dialogue, no descriptions and characters who nod and smile constantly.  Who would want to read such dreck?

In my mind, I am positive that all other writers compose their first drafts with exquisite, sparkling words that need no polish before being sent on wings to eager agents and editors.  And knowing this to be a fact (in my own mind at least), it is hard to drag myself to the keyboard day after day.

But part of being a writer is having confidence in yourself.  After all, what other profession experiences the kind of rejection that a writer does?  Can you imagine a lawyer who had to cold-call prospects to get clients?  After 50 or 100 outright rejections, do you think he’d still want to be a lawyer?  Or what if a plumber had to go to a plumber’s conference to pitch his skills to potential customers in 15 minutes or less? 

Writers need to have a high level of confidence in themselves and their writing to keep pursuing this line of work.  That confidence, that willingness to keep writing despite the fear and the doubt, is the secret quality of successful writers.   Every writer who has been published has persevered and kept believing in themselves to get to that coveted published stage.  Those who let the fear and doubt get to them and give up… well, you won’t find them on the bestseller list.  You won’t find them in the bookstores or in the magazines. 

So how do you keep going when your words seem flat and lifeless?

I look for quotes like the one above to give me perspective on my abilities.  Okay, so the fear that I’m turning out garbage may always be with me.  I can write anyway.  And maybe my perspective is skewed because I’m so close to the work.  And maybe every other writer in the world struggles just like I do and doesn’t turn out perfect prose in their first draft.  I’m going to keep writing anyway and trust that as I work, I’ll get better.

What do you do to keep the fear at bay?

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