Persistence

I just completed a workshop on persistence. That is, persistence as in regard to writing and getting your work noticed.

I thought I had persistence. After all, I've been writing toward publication for 13 years now. But, so far, I have only a few short stories published in obscure magazines that pay in copies or don't pay at all. I had one article that won first place in a contest, but I was never able to sell it. And another article was published for the whopping sum of $25.00.

I did have my first novel published about 5 years ago, but that hasn't been a windfall, only a few royalty checks trickle in now and then.

But, I'm still writing and intend to write as long as I'm physically able. Unlike some other writers, I've never set an arbitrary time limit on how long I'll stick it out before giving up if I'm not published or making a living at it in say, 5 years, 10 years, etc., because I never plan to quit. It's my life.

So, does that make me persistent? Apparently not enough. I have to start getting my work out there more, with queries, submissions, contest entries. I intend to do that.

Also, I have to start developing more projects. Get those things in the outline stage out of the drawer and start working on them again. And get those things still in 'the idea in my head', or 'one line blurb' stage, into development.

I want to be persistent, because writing and creating fictional characters that readers love is my life.

How about you? Have you set any arbitrary limits on the time you will take to make it as a writer before giving up?