#atozchallenge S is for Successful Traits for Writers

Throughout this A to Z blog series I’ve attempted to talk about core habits I have found necessary to form around my own writing life, learned mostly from taking in advice, trying that advice out, and grabbing hold of the habits that lead to success in my writing process.

What is success? Perhaps that is too difficult and particular to define. But what we can do is look at some of the traits that are typically suggested for allowing a writer some success.

“Success seems like kind of a fluke to me. It’s not based on merit, since not everyone has the same opportunities. For me, it was just something that happened. I was in the right place at the right time. In 1985 I became an overnight success after 30 years…I didn’t think that I would ever have a best-seller. I never thought that my writing was either good enough or bad enough to make the list.” – Elmore Leonard in ‘Writers Dreaming: 26 Writers Talk About Their Dreams and the Creative Process.’

The Writer’s Core Habit Pack for The Key Traits for a Successful Career in Writing

I can, like most writers, list a heaping mountain of behavioural or personality traits that can help towards success – in whatever form that is for you. Here goes, then – feel free to add or subtract from this listing through the comments:

Planning and Vision (Goals, BPS and Affirmations)
Productivity Skills (and Time Management)
Form Habits to Write Every Day and Keep Ideas on the Roll. (Quotas)
Work Hard in the Flow
Commitment to Growth and Improvement (Kaizen and Questions 1 and 2)
Persistence with Focus and Fascination (Obstacles and Opportunities, Reading)
Self-Confidence, Resilience and Self-Gratification (Inspiration and Control Inner Critics)
Professionalism (Routines and Rituals and Writer’s Resume)
Work Independently and in Solitary (Know the Rules in the Writer’s Rule Book, Break when Necessary)
Entrepreneurial and Business Skills (Kanban, Organisation and Butt out of Chair)
Work with What Works, and Change What Does Not (Know yourself and track your work – Dump Pages, Keep a Journal)
Focus but then Let Go

These 12+ traits are detailed a little more in the free download 2 page PDF. As with the other downloads in this blog series, I have made use of free icons and pngs,which may or may not be available for commercial usage. The download therefore is shared with you for personal usage only.

Download the WCHP Success Traits PDF.