What does it take to thrive as a writer?

In an interview at the innovation tools site, Daniel Pink, author of “Drive: the Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us,” says this about the future of work:

 

“It's non-routine. That is, you can't reduce it to script, a formula, an algorithm or a series of steps that lead to a correct answer. It's multi-disciplinary. It involves elements of design, empathy, and symphonic thinking. It's self-directed rather than "managed." And it's animated by a sense of purpose.”

 

What does it take to thrive in this kind of atmosphere? Pink says, “At the heart is a sense of intrinsic motivation - doing something not for the extrinsic rewards it brings, but for the inherent satisfaction of the task itself. Beyond that, it demands a sense of autonomy and self-direction as well as a yearning to get better at something that matters - all of which are pointed toward a cause larger than one's self."

Writers should do rather well in the future then--to have endurance in the face of rejection, we've already developed most of these qualities!

(But we do need inspiration from time to time, and that's why I produce my free monthly Brainstorm & Focus e-bulletin. You can get it by sending an email request to BstormUK@aol.com)