As a writer, talent counts for nothing if you don’t do this one thing: persist.

As a writer, talent counts for nothing if you don’t do this one thing:

Persist.

All creative careers require luck.

Persistence is the siege you lay on fortune.

Twilight was rejected 14 times.

The Diary of Anne Frank 15 times.

Gone with the Wind, 38.

All artists crave originality.

Persistence is the bus you catch to innovation.

No Pixies, no Radiohead.

No The Bends, no OK Computer, no In Rainbows.

The same is true for any creative.

And often for those pursuing careers anywhere.

As a young aspiring Director I applied for 57 Assistant Director jobs over five years jobs before I got one.

What if I had stopped at 24? Or 35? Or 56?

Once I did get a foot in the door the work I created in my early 20s was derivative.

It wasn’t until I hit 42 that I finally found my voice.

So if you just keep going

You may get lucky.

You may reach originality.

You may even begin to experience something akin to success.

But you’ll never know If you don’t persist.