Winston Churchill once said, “Continuous effort–not strength or intelligence–is the key to unlocking our potential.”

I believe he’s right. Over the years, the writers I’ve seen succeed weren’t the most talented. They were the ones who refused to give up.

Plugging Away

I pondered that principle last month during NaNoWriMo when I was sick or gone or being interrupted. I also watched the 38 people in my NaNo Challenge Group plugging away through much tougher challenges than I had.

Samuel Johnson said, “Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.” In a like vein, Helen Keller (one of the most determined people you’ll ever read about) said, “We can do anything we want to as long as we stick to it long enough.”

That’s good news to me! Is it to you?

It’s Your Choice

We may not be the most talented writers. We may not be the most clever or well read. We may not have an MFA in writing or be able to afford expensive writing conferences. BUT we can each choose to persevere, to stick to it till we finish.

Know where you want to go, and map out a clear strategy on how you plan to get there. Team up with writing friends and encourage each other. There are many ways to study and grow, ranging from free online courses and books to expensive MFA programs at prestigious colleges.

But in any case, the only person with an advantage is the one who refuses to quit. Is that YOU?