Patience

The question isn't if you can write. The question is do you have the patience to write? Every step of this process requires patience:

Patience to find the time to write.

Patience to listen to your heart.

Patience to wait for words to appear.

Patience to let the story unfold.

Patience to reach the end of the first draft.

Patience to begin again... and again... and again.

Patience to recognize that each step takes longer than you expect.

Patience to respond to family and friends
(who wonder what you're doing and why it's taking so long).

Patience to arrive at the end of the story.

Patience to look for an agent or editor.

Patience to accept their suggestions for revision.

Patience to watch your manuscript makes its way
(through copyediting and production) into the world.

Patience to glimpse the cover for the first time.

Patience to hold the final book in your hands.

Patience to wait for reviews.

Patience to see your first royalty check.

Patience to find the time to write.

Patience to listen to your heart.

Patience to wait for words to appear....

For more on patience and writing, visit:
http://publishingguru.blogspot.com/2010/06/patience-writing-good-fiction-is-not.html
http://roadwriting.blogspot.com/2011/02/patience.html
http://mindeearnett.livejournal.com/6117.html
http://www.michaellewin.org/articles/personal-growth/patience-the-spiritual-path-to-personal-growth/
http://www.hownottowrite.com/lessons-from-great-writers/charles-dickens-three-principles-of-writing/