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Characteristics of Successful Authors

I noticed something in rereading last week's series about authors and their unpublished manuscripts so I wanted to be sure and point it out to you.

Hardly any writer is an overnight success and sells his or her very first manuscript. Writing is a business involving:

1. a learned set of narrative skills - grammar, spelling, plotting, characterization, viewpoint, scene and sequel, etc. If you don't know the full extent of narrative skills necessary, do yourself a favor and study so you can learn what you need to know.

2. the desire to tell stories - I think if you've got the desire to do something, that is an innate form of talent.

3. business sense - You need this to network, market well, get the professional assistance needed (that's an agent), take care of the money aspects of your career, learn how to promote you and your writing if that's in your game plan.

4. persistence - You must keep plugging away until success is achieved.

These characteristics are what all these authors share in common.

Takeaway Truth

Do an inventory of your writing characteristics. How do you stack up? Room for improvement? If so, you know what to do.

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