The #1 Most Important Thing You Need to Make It
Wednesday May 14, 2008
I read a blog post over at Freelance Switch today that reminded me of the single most important thing that you'll need to make it in this field.
Tenacity.
I truly believe that tenacity, or lack of it, is the key to a lot of life, including the freelance writing life. One reason is the constance of rejection in the writing field. Journalists have to pitch and re-pitch, while B2B writers scour 20-30 jobs a day and are happy to get one of them in a week. Another reason is the fact that once the page is full, there's always another page waiting underneath it. You've just got to keep going.
I realize some may disagree with me. What do you think? Between talent and tenacity, which is the most important attribute for the freelance writer to have?
Comments
While having talent is beneficial and will make freelance writing easier, tenacity is definitely the most important! Not sticking to your guns and pulling your self up by your bootstraps is in my opinion death in the freelance world.
There are many talented and unpublished writers out there. I think you’re right. Tenacity makes the difference.
Being independently wealthy is helpful, too…
Tenacity is definitely the most important! As you wrote, without tenacity in life we would not accomplish most anything. And, thank you for reminding me… I really needed to read this.
i believe both play major roles, combined there unstoppable. This world is filled with talented writers who just sit at home eating cereal and watching cartoons, then you have those with tenacity but not with what it takes…
Yes, tenacity is very important. There is also a certain self-assurance that’s critical, because in the face of all the rejection and competition, you have only yourself for a cheerleader when it really comes down to it.
And in addition to that, you need the kind of personality that will allow you to stay focused to meet deadlines, in spite of whatever other pressures or demands there are in your life. That’s something that many friends and significant others of writers have a hard time understanding.
Oh, yes, and being independently wealthy! (Thanks for that one, Annie.)
lol, if we could just win the lotto Anna! (PS I was happy to see writersunbound.com get going again:)
I was going to say that persistence (roughly the same as tenacity)was the most important characteristic of a writer. But reading over the comments thus far , I like Joanna’s..maybe combined into “focused tenacity”
From my own life experience I consider tenacity is the most important attribute for a writer — may be for any other career as well though .
I dabbled in many things, continuously rolling on from one interest to another, in the end gathering no moss.
So keep on keeping on steadfastly.
No question about it tenacity. Writing or selling what you write is much like having a great agent or marketer who knows how to put your product out there for those who will buy. You can be a great writer but without tenacity you will not go anywhere. For instance who but one with tenacity would think to market their “Pet Rock” and made a ton of money off from “Pet Rocks”. That took “tenacity”. Me writing this comment just takes writing. I rest my case. Allena, Great blog! I love your stuff.
You’re totally right Allena.
It also helps to have skin like iron and breath as hard as kerosine…
Tenanciy is important. But SMART tenancity. Focus where you have the greatest chance of reward.