Having reached my word count goal (118,000 words) for my first book, Black Scales, and being hard at work on my second novel, Child of Fire (currently at 69,500 words), I thought I would share some reflections on the importance of passion and perseverance in writing.

Recently, after submitting revisions for an academic paper, a co-author said to me, “You have a lot of grit.” I smiled, not sure if I was receiving a compliment. He proceeded to tell me about a book he’d read by psychologist Angela Duckworth on the subject of grit and how it was the buzz in some academic circles.

Feeling a little flattered, I set about to learn a little research about grit. On her website, Dr. Duckworth explains, “Grit is the tendency to sustain interest in and effort toward very long-term goals.” She notes that individuals who are more gritty are often more self-controlled, and grittiness is one way to predict success.

Revising and preparing writing for publication takes a lot of grit. For anyone who has cut 50,000+ words from a novel, you know what I mean. Hurdles, pitfalls, and rejections are inevitable challenges all writers face. Therefore, the next time that a rejection roles in, or you get a negative review, resist the temptation to throw up your hands and remind yourself that motivation and self-control are essential to success, and are the cornerstone of grit.