Every person possesses some kind of talent, but without hard work and grueling hours of practice, it is impossible to mold that talent into true greatness. Just like with every other profession, the same thing applies to writing as well. Joel Landau is an accomplished writer and reporter, with nearly 15 years of experience. In his case, talent, focus, and endurance are the three pillars that allowed him to thrive as a writer, and be the person he is today.
In numerous occasions, Landau has been asked by the Goodreads community to point out the one most important thing that makes a person a great writer, and each and every time, he answers the same, that writing is a combination of several qualities, all equally needed. No matter how much enthusiasm or effort a person puts into writing, without literary talent there is absolutely no hope. However, the same thing applies in the opposite situation. You can be the most talented novelist or writer, but unless you sit down and roll up your sleeves, the pages won’t write by themselves.
If you have decided to be a writer then you need to treat writing as a job, and that requires a lot of discipline. For Joel Landau, the first step towards writing his Source Journalism book was simply reading more. Reading needs to be your daily habit, and once you’re armed with that commitment, you can get in the habit of writing. Landau makes sure he sits down at his desk every single day and concentrate, even if he doesn’t write a single page. The purpose behind this is to give yourself the physical stamina that a professional writer needs, even when there is no willpower for doing it. Such daily training can be an indispensable tool.
Furthermore, you need to find an organizational scheme that works best for you, keep up with it and be faithful to it. Don’t ever obsess or even think about schemes that someone else might have. Last but not least, make sure you keep your thoughts organized by building up your ability to concentrate.
