Zero Hour & Zest - A-Z Challenge - Starting & Sustaining A Writing Career

Today is the day. The time is now.

We've taken this journey together and now it's zero hour. In general terms, this is when a military or any other important operation is primed to begin.

At some point, a prolific writer will decide whether to take what he/she does as a hobby and turn it into a career. I must admit that because of the full-time job I held, I looked at writing as a wonderful pastime and approached it as a hobby. Over the years, my vision has slowly shifted and with more than a dozen books on the market, my writing has turned into something of a mini-career. I also write and edit non-fiction and these secondary pursuits have come through my love of fiction writing and now pay a major part of the bills.

When you take the decision to make writing a career, you must approach your goal with determination and zest.  Both these qualities will help you stay on course to becoming the writer you want to be. There are a host of things we learn on the journey and in this craft, we never stop acquiring new skills as the world of publishing changes. These days the average writer has to be publicist and marketing guru alongside the main task of adding to his/her word count every day.

Considering how the world of publishing has shifted, the writing world is your oyster. With a realistic plan and measurable goals, the rich landscape of avid readers is yours to explore and carve out a niche for your brand of storytelling or expertise.

All the best on the journey! I leave with you three gifts below.

The journey IS the goal. There is no ‘arrival’ to wait for. Celebrate TODAY.”
                                                                  - Nika Stewart

I know that I have the ability to achieve the object of my Definite Purpose in life, therefore, I demand of myself persistent, continuous action toward its attainment, and I here and now promise to render such action.”
                                                                  - Napoleon Hill

Vision is not enough, it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs.”
                                                                  - Vaclav Havel

Congratulations on completing the Challenge! It's been a blast. Look out for the Linky list for the Reflections Post, which will be up from May 4th to May 8th. You will be asked to add the link that leads directly to your Reflections Post and not the URL to your blog.