Last month a friend asked if I was ready for this next BIG step of putting myself out there. The question gave me pause and, naturally, I spent time in the library reading about fear of failure and fear of success and what holds us back from achieving our potential. What I discovered is that it comes down to one thing: courage.
How does courage relate to professionalism?
A professional (think lawyer, for example) is courageous when, armed with education and experience, that professional faces whatever comes through the door. Julia Cameron in her Artist’s Way series suggests there is a payoff for remaining unknown. When the work is kept secret, the artist never has to feel the sting of rejection, harsh criticism, or resentment when the art is inevitably reviewed and critiqued. There is a polar distance between the joy and fulfillment of creating a piece and the cold, microscopic inspection and judging of a finished piece. A professional accepts both as necessary sides of the same business.
Courage of a professional writer
These are the things, I think, that demonstrate the courage of a professional writer:
- Shows up for work everyday, is disciplined in writing habits.
- Devotes time to research, fact-checking, revision, and the drudgery of fixing gaps in the plot, wobbles in character arcs, and weak themes.
- Accepts that rejection, criticism, and bad reviews are part of the business. According to Jennifer A. Nielsen, a writer will be grateful for these disappointing things … eventually.
- Interacts with other writers and publishing professionals through writing organizations, conferences, blogs, podcasts, newsletters.
- Maintains a website.
Consistency and Courage. That’s all it takes. Ready?
What are your thoughts on being ready, courage, and/or professionalism? Leave comments about your experiences or share your ideas of what makes a creative courageous. Thanks! : ) Professional Lee