It’s not uncommon to hear readers say they prefer protagonists who are “strong and capable” to protagonists that are “weak and indecisive.” Which is completely understandable. After all, who wants to slog through 300 pages of a character sitting on a log complaining about their lot in life?
But if you were to ask them who their all-time favorite characters or figures from history are, chances are the answer won’t be the ones who were physically or mentally or emotionally strong; rather it will be the individuals who persevered despite the hurdles they faced.
Consider your favorite stories. What is it about the characters (both the heroes and the villains) that makes them resonate with you? What it is about their driving force that causes you to invest your time in journeying with them from the beginning of their story until the end?
Perhaps it’s something you feel is lacking in your own life: grit, gumption, dedication, passion, courage, vision…or perhaps it’s merely the fact that—even when everything seems lost—they pick themselves up one more time, determined to reach that finish line if it’s the very last thing they do.
Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.”
Samuel Johnson
Merriam-Webster defines perseverance as the “continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.”
As writers, it’s a trait we must continually hone. This is especially true when we want to make a career out of doing what we love most.
We persevere in our writing by continuing to keep an open mind when we receive feedback from others. Even if some of the responses feel cruel or completely off-base, there is often a grain of truth we can glean from them. Especially when the words are coming from someone who has been severely hurt or who has experienced extreme abuses at the hands of those whom they should have been able to trust.
We persevere in our creativity by continuing to learn and study what others have successfully (and unsuccessfully) done before us. What worked for others might not always work for us, and sometimes we can modify what others failed to do and thus land on something that sets us off in the right direction.
We persevere by choosing to sit down at the keyboard when we’re tired, overwhelmed, discouraged, and feeling anything but creative.
We persevere when we use our words to bring hope and healing, to speak out against injustice without being carried away by the waves of legitimate anger or fear or uncertainty we feel.
We also persevere by recognizing that rest and recovery is a necessary part of any creative (or healing) process.
The past couple of weeks have been very long and emotionally draining, especially on the heels of months of constant updates on the global pandemic that we’re still continuing to battle. For some, this journey has gone on far longer than for others. And I know that many of us are wondering if we have what it takes to continue on.
The answer is a definite yes.
In the realm of ideas, everything depends on enthusiasm… in the real world, all rests on perseverance.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Whether it’s writing, advocacy, or embarking on a new creative venture in the midst of everything that’s going on in the world, remember this: Physical strength can only take you so far.
But perseverance—which includes reaching out for help when needed, taking moments to rest and refocus, and then pressing on in the work you are specifically designed for by the One who sees and hears you—allows you to not only finish the work you’ve begun, but to finish it well.
Onward, my friends!
