I like this post from Richard Branson called, 5 Skills and Abilities that Successful Entrepreneurs Share. I’m an indie writer and thus an entrepreneur. This list applies to writers, but I would add these additional skills and abilities to my short list:
Continually hones their craft. While this applies to all business people, I think it’s doubly true for writers. I know that my next book will be better than the last; I want it to be better. There’s much to learn from other writers about how to tell great stories. I see this point as being distinct from Branson’s “learn from your failures.” We need to learn from reading accomplished writers in our genre and others. We learn from failure, too. We pay our amazing editors to call attention to hundreds of points of failure! One of the most enjoyable aspects of being a writer is reading other writers and appreciating compelling paragraphs, pages, and stories.
Takes a long view of success. Building a readership starts when we provide well-conveyed innovative stories but grows because we keep doing it and getting better. The business of indie publishing is also one that takes time of build. When I decided to publish my mystery series as an indie, I knew that I’d need to cultivate my business with deliberate, focused action.
What would you add to Branson’s list for your chosen field?