What makes a Successful Writer

In our world that is so dominated by social media, and the need to constantly share our successes and hide our failures, what makes a successful writer is a complicated and painful thing.

I see writers winning awards, or getting book deals, selling new stories - and a part of me writhes in bitter jealousy. (I fully admit it). It’s not a healthy reaction at all. That jealousy ends up making me feel doomed to failure, to never be good enough, to stop trying.

It can be hard to step away from the idea that success means winning That Particular award, or making This Many Sales, or getting movie options, or having a Big Name give you a shout out, or being asked to do panels at cons…or whatever we’ve decided makes other people more successful (read: better) than us.

Because those are concrete things we can boast about (to others and ourselves) they take on power. But we are still the ones who give them that power by assuming they are the only measures of success.

They are, ultimately, things we have no control over.

I cannot MAKE people give me awards, or book deals. I cannot force the public to buy my books. So setting these up as the things that determine my value as a writer is pointless, and at the end of the day, self-destructive.

So what do I consider successful?

1. Writing my goal words for the day (and it’s not high - if I get 500 I am super happy.)

2. Not letting the idea that I have to write a certain way hobble my writing. I need to give myself the space to run first. If I give myself permission that day to write whatever I want without fear, then that day has been successful.

3. To keep up with editing projects and not just letting them shrivel up to nothing in a neglected file somewhere.

4. To look after myself physically and mentally. I have no time for this ‘suffering artist’ bullshit. My priorities now are to take care of myself. Do things I love, eat well, and have fun. A successful life is more than writing.

5. Finding joy in the successes of others. Celebrating my friends doing well, and finding exciting new voices to read thanks to those sales and awards. Their stories will become part of the conversation I have as writer telling my own stories. And that is kinda beautiful and amazing.

Are there things that you do to counter professional jealousy and social media saturation - tell me about them.

How do you define your success in a way that is good/healthy for you?