I agree! A person can do SO much more in almost any endeavor with a lot of drive and a little talent, than with a lot of talent and a little drive. And with a little talent and no drive? I believe you’re absolutely right–nothng at all happens, in that case.

I’ve said for years that the single most important quality in a writing career is also the one the aspiring writers underrate the most: perseverance.

For my part, with everything I’ve ever kept writing and/or submitting in the face of rejection, I always figured, “Well, if I keep sending it out, I may never sell it; but if I don’t keep sending it out, then I’ll -definitely- never sell it.” And with that philosophy governing my actions, I’ve sold a lot of my work over the years.

LauraR

I think it still comes down to work. If you don’t do the work, talent amounts to nothing.

One of the reasons I can do this is because for over 20 years I studied it, taught it, and did it, and kept doing it. Sure, I may have a talent for it, but I developed that talent through work. I can feel it every time I finish a book, it’s almost like strengthening a muscle. Like a weight lifter, we push until it hurts, past where it hurts, and then we pick up the next heaviest weight. But while we might have some spotters or a coach, ultimately we push ourselves, and that’s what makes talent result in something.

The problem with writers such as the one you worked with is their outward orientation — when a writer says that something outside of themselves caused them not to be able to write… NO. We all know people who write through illness, tragedy, through years with no contracts, through rejections, and millions of other things etc…and they keep writing, no matter what happens outside of themselves. It’s what they do, and it comes from inside.

It’s a red flag for me whenever someone says “this person was critical of me and made me stop writing…” No. YOU made you stop writing — and I think that’s the key to all of it. If you are driven to write, it comes from inside, not outside, and if you have that drive, it’s going to make you work. You will finish books, sell them, keep trying, no matter what.

People who have natural talent *and* drive will do amazing things. People with drive and little talent may still achieve some kind of success. People who have talent and no drive will do nothing. It sounds like your writer, who had enough talent to draw attention, win contests, etc simply didn’t have enough drive to get herself to the finish line. In the end, she had no one to blame for that but herself — ironically, she’ll never see that. It will always be someone else’s fault. I think the psychologists call it an “outer locus of control.” *G*

We all use cps to help us see the things we didn’t see (like we use eds, too) — all writers need a few other pairs of eyes to help us, because often that initial conceptualization is flawed and we even get stuck and we can’t see why. But these things simply complement that inner sense of drive and discipline to get to the end of a book.

I’m thinking of Laura’s essay in the NINC newsletter, about writing and “this is what I do” — boy, could I relate. That feeling of being crazy because we keep doing it, no matter what, LOL. But I think that’s the real magic, actually…

Sam

LauraR

The woman wrote brilliant narrative, sensual description and interesting premises, but I noticed she was scattered. She was always looking for the “shiny” somewhere further down the story. There was no focus, which was why she could never adequately complete a project.

As I got to know her better, I realized the rest of her life was like that too. Maybe conceptualization can’t be taught, but organization can be learned.

Sometimes that takes the maturity of years. Sometimes it just takes dogged determination.

I too had to part company with her. She was too willing to give up her projects and go on to something else. While the good writer knows when to let something go, he also knows when to grit his teeth and get the job done.