Writers Must Be Determined

 

Determination is one characteristic a writer needs if he/she wants to be successful. A few synonyms for determination are perseverance, firmness, resolute, unwavering and tenacity. 

Whew! Those are all pretty strong words, ones that can carry a writer to high places. 

Writers who submit often and receive multiple rejections might be so disappointed that they figure it's useless. They give up. It's understandable. No one likes to be smacked down over and over. 

It's the determined writer who is going to find success, even if it takes a long time. One writer whose determination served him well is John Grisham. He approached publishing house after publishing house with his novel The Firm before it was picked up. He didn't give up but kept sending queries and sample pages to editors. He's not alone. There are myriad novelists who have experienced the same kind of difficulties. The ones we know are those who kept pursuing publication even after multiple rejections.

What about the writers who don't write books but short pieces instead? They seek publication, too. They might receive rejections and take one of two paths. They'll either wilt like yesterday's flower and give up, or they'll develop an attitude of continuing to submit a piece, perhaps after some editing and revision, but never giving up. These are the writers who end up being published.

Do these writers get depressed, feel down in the dumps when a rejection floats their way? Of course they do, but the determined ones move on to the next market on the list and submit again. (market list? That's a hint for those who want to be published!z0

It's up to you to decide how much being published means to you. How determined you can be. How much effort you want to put into your writing life. I hope many of you will be like Mr. Turtle and keep moving toward your goal of publication.