It’s time to get serious about your art. For years, I held onto the belief that success was easy, and simply having an idea and some luck would carry me through to my dream life. But here’s the hard truth: there’s no magic hand. Success takes a lot of hard work.
As a science fiction and fantasy author, I’ve treaded the winding path of creative pursuit for years. I’ve seen the myths shatter, the illusions dissolve, and the reality glare back at me. The ‘overnight success’ stories? They’re as mythical as the monsters I write about. In truth, success demands unwavering dedication, consistent effort, and an unyielding commitment to one’s craft. I worry that this message has been lost to younger generations.
Success Takes Time
I, like so many at a youthful age, was convinced I could write a single novel that would sell millions overnight. It would be simple. I could live in the lap of luxury with little effort because I was good at English in school. Embarking on my authorial odyssey, I was entranced by the romantic notion of effortlessly weaving tales that captivate the masses. However, reality hit hard.
Even with a strong imagination, a plethora of ideas, and an above-average command of the English language, it took me eighteen long, arduous years of sporadic writing to complete my first full-length novel. Each sentence was a battle, each chapter a war between self-doubt and perseverance. But within this struggle emerged a pivotal lesson: true mastery doesn’t manifest in haste; it blossoms through consistent dedication.
Even with a strong imagination, a plethora of ideas, and an above-average command of the English language, it took me eighteen long, arduous years of sporadic writing to complete my first full-length novel. Each sentence was a battle, each chapter a war between self-doubt and perseverance. But within this struggle emerged a pivotal lesson: true mastery doesn’t manifest in haste; it blossoms through consistent dedication.
Eliza Fabricius
Transitioning from that first book to my third was a metamorphosis of both craft and discipline. Another three years marked this journey, but it was not without its trials. It demanded a disciplined routine, a sacrifice of leisure, and a prioritization of the keyboard over distractions. I read dozens of books on time management, productivity, how to write better, faster. With each new publication, I ascended a rung higher, each book a tick on the door frame representing my growth as an author. Improvement became not just an aspiration, but a constant pursuit.
Success Means Making Sacrifices
To carve a path towards success, sacrifices became my companions. While friends reveled in the latest Netflix series or social gatherings, I found solace in the solitude of creation. Prioritizing my art meant bidding adieu to the comforts of idleness. It meant typing away feverishly while others sipped their evening cocktails or embracing the lonely dance with my thoughts while the world outside indulged in whatever they wanted to.
It’s a daunting reality—placing one’s craft on the highest pedestal often means forsaking the immediate gratifications life offers. It’s this sacrifice that allowed me to sculpt worlds from thoughts. Make no mistake, I do watch some Netflix and have the occasional drink. The key here is finding a balance that doesn’t drive you insane. Luckily, socializing isn’t my favorite thing to do. I enjoy solitude, and I also don’t care to sit in front of a TV often. My personal preferences are on my side.
The key here is finding a balance that doesn’t drive you insane. Luckily, socializing isn’t my favorite thing to do. I enjoy solitude, and I also don’t care to sit in front of a TV often. My personal preferences are on my side.
Eliza Fabricius
Perfect Doesn’t Exist (what seems perfect to you is flawed to someone else)
In the pursuit of artistic excellence, the mirror of perfection often reflects our deepest fears and insecurities. The idea of flawless creation haunted me. It often paralyzed me and my creativity. However, with each keystroke, I realized that perfection is an illusion—an unattainable horizon. There is no such thing as the perfect book.
In fact, imperfections are not adversaries but companions to an artist. They showcase the authenticity of the creative process, reminding me that flawlessness doesn’t narrate compelling stories; vulnerability does. Bearing all this in mind, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive for perfection, put your best foot forward, and do everything in your power to create a damn fine book.
Bearing all this in mind, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t strive for perfection, put your best foot forward, and do everything in your power to create a damn fine book.
Eliza Fabricius
I scrutinized every word I wrote, every turn of phrase in my relentless pursuit of perfection. It’s like a silent tyranny within the creative realm—a horrible pressure to churn out masterpiece after masterpiece at an unsustainable pace. It took me time—years, in fact—to grant myself the liberation I desperately needed: permission to ‘suck.’
Permission to Suck
Giving oneself permission to ‘suck’ is not an admission of mediocrity; it’s the acknowledgment that growth stems from imperfection. Creativity is a playground for experimentation and evolution. I learned that the pursuit of progress is much more beneficial to my growth and well-being.
In the early stages of my career, I grappled with external opinions. The fear of being judged paralyzed my hands. It’s an art in itself—learning to discern between constructive feedback and baseless criticism. After all, you never know when a bitter ex-lover or former co-worker might leave a biting remark behind the anonymous mask of the internet just to get one last jab in. If you never put anything out there, you’ll never truly know how successful it can be. Yes, my work stands exposed to scrutiny, open to interpretation, and inevitably subject to varied opinions. Isn’t that the point of art?
In the end…
I’ve reached a point of comfort. Writing is still challenging, and my process changes so often, I refuse to call it a process. There are still things I’m figuring out. But I’d never have gotten this far if I continued to sit and wait for some magic hand to come along and write my books for me because I was too paralyzed by fear.
It wasn’t a solitary stroke of luck that propelled my works; it was the culmination of countless hours, sacrifices, and commitment to craft. With every book completed, I’ve leveled up as an author.
Dear fellow artists, the road may be littered with doubts, fears, and moments of vulnerability, but within this chaos resides the beauty of creation. It’s in the pursuit itself that we find fulfillment.
The canvas awaits our bold strokes, the pages yearn for our words—let us create, evolve, and thrive. Because, after all, there is no magic hand to do the work for you. (Not even with AI).
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