Let me be straight with you. What drives you? What makes you want to pick up the pen everyday? Money? Obligation? Passion? Can you remember your motivation for writing?
I'm choosing to talk about this because it's crucial for success. The writing matters as much as your reasons for writing. The facts are brutal. There is no one path to becoming a successful writer. Additionally, when you know that more than half of the people who try fail, having an unwavering reason for doing what you do is what keeps you grounded. It makes you immune to small failures you may experience along the way. J.K. Rowling's manuscript had been rejected more than ten times before the world got to know Harry Potter. Is J.K. Rowling a bad writer? I honestly don't think so.
There are two types of motivation. The one that comes from within and the one that comes from without. Let me explain. If you workout and like the way you look, your confidence partly stems from your looks. There is nothing wrong with that (and by all means, please, continue to workout). However, your looks will eventually fade, so this source of confidence is not a renewable one. It doesn't, so to speak, flow from within. You can see how if your only source of confidence is your looks, you may suffer from self-esteem problems later on. The same pattern applies to writing. If you do it only because you want to be recognised (and you may not get recognised in your lifetime), you will give up because it's a tough craft and the lack of recognition won't allow you to continue. A passion for writing is an example of a motivation that comes from within. If you love writing, you will continue, no matter how many people tell you to stop. Passion is forever.
Another example would be having a larger vision. Personally, I care for literature because I think that it's a record of human thought. I'm not just talking of philosophy. You can learn about a period in history by reading texts written in a particular era. You can get to know the fashion, the tastes, the etiquette, and everything else about the people of any time from the comfort of your home. As a writer, I also care to leave something behind that would add a verse to our human story. And, I would love for it to be something that in some way reveals an aspect of the human condition. Leaving something behind and being useful both surpass my own existence (or, in other words, bypass the ego). These will keep me going.
So... this is me. And what do you care about?
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