How to go pro

“The professional loves her work. She is invested in it wholeheartedly. But she does not forget that the work is not her.”

—Steven Pressfield, The War of Art 

A few years ago, I went to visit my publishing team in Seattle. While we were out to dinner, my then-editor told me, “You’re such a professional. We really appreciate that.”

I smiled and thanked her. She leaned in and said, “No, seriously. I can’t overstate what a difference it makes.”

I’ve thought about that conversation many times since. Because now I see just how true her comment is: writers who approach their work as a professional experience more growth and greater success. Those who don’t, don’t. 

You might be thinking: duh. But you’d be surprised how quickly a professional attitude can fly out the window when writing feels like a slog or something—edits, publicity, sales, etc.—doesn’t go as expected. Some writers over-react, retreat, or turn a tiny problem into a giant sign their career is never going to work. And that’s when a single issue often becomes a cascade of disappointment.

So how does a professional think and act? 

She doesn’t let setbacks hold her back. 

She doesn’t take anything personally. 

She sees everything—good and bad—as data. 

Only after she’s paused and assessed that data, she uses it to make even better decisions.

Then she goes back to writing. 

You can show up this way even if you haven’t published a single book yet or haven’t made any money from your writing. In fact, that’s how you resolve both of those issues. Because a pro mindset is what allows for continuous creation. 

And the best way to create a writing career you love is to write one book after another.