O.C. Writers

by Greta Boris

You must pay for everything in this world, one way and another. There is nothing free except the grace of God. – Mattie Ross, from the movie True Grit

You’ve probably noticed by now I’m a TED Talk nut. I recently heard a great one by psychologist Angela Lee Duckworth. Ms. Duckworth and her team studied achievement. Their goal was to isolate predictors of success in all kinds of circumstances. They researched students, business men and women, athletes, people in many walks of life and varieties of endeavors. They found the individuals most likely to succeed all had one quality in common—grit.

Ms. Duckworth defines grit as a combination of passion and persistence.

It struck me this is something every writer needs in abundance. I don’t think it’s possible to imagine a piece of work, push past self-doubt to get it written, face the surgery of editing, the labor pains of the publishing process and the arrows of public scrutiny without grit. When a bagging job at Costco seems both less difficult and more lucrative what else will keep us at the keyboard?

There are three kinds of writers: dreamers, doodlers, and authors. The dreamers don’t face reality. Their aim is overnight success, and it often shows in both the quality of their work and their longevity. The doodlers have so little self-esteem or courage, their stories never see the light of day.

And then there are authors.

Authors understand there is a road ahead of them, and it won’t be easy. They know they are going to occasionally lose their way, get mired in the mud, and run out of gas. They plan, they sweat, they swear, but they go the distance. They have grit.

The question then is, how do we get grittier?

What better month to start the transition from dreamer or doodler to author than January? If you’re ready, Megan and I want to help. Don’t get me wrong, we don’t think we’re experts. But becoming an author is a new enough experience for each of us, we haven’t forgotten what it’s like to have never made the trip. And, thankfully, we know some publishing Sherpas—mountaineering experts—we can call on for guidance.

We’ve decided to divide 2017 in quarters and issue a four week challenge in each. The first will launch January 16th. We’re calling it G.R.I.T.

G – Goal Setting
R – Revise Your Calendar
I – Imagine the end
T – Tenacity

In this challenge you’ll learn to evaluate your intentions, assess your strengths and weakness, then use that information to chose your best publishing option. You’ll also learn proven motivational and management techniques for a successful outcome.

Each week you’ll receive a homework assignment in your inbox—a small step toward your big goal. We’re also creating a private Facebook Group for those who’d like group accountability and encouragement.

If you’re ready to become a first time author, or if you need some encouragement to make the journey again, we invite you to sign up here.

You can watch the Grit TED Talk here: 

Sign up for the Four-Week GRIT Challenge Today!

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Greta Boris is the author of the Amazon Kindle bestsellerThe Wine and Chocolate Workout, a freelance writer, and novelist. She’s published articles on culture, health and entertainment for a variety of national magazines including Victorian Homes, Zombies, 50 Scariest Movies, Exodus, and Women of the Bible.

The first two books in a domestic suspense series inspired by the seven deadly sins, A Margin of Lust and The Scent of Wrath, are scheduled for release in 2017 through Fawkes Press. She describes her work, and her life as a real housewife meets Dante’s Inferno.

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