As a writer, how do you know if you’re doing the right things?

I listen to 1 thing to make sure I’m making progress

Gabriel Klingman
2 min readSep 28, 2024
Photo by Slava Auchynnikau on Unsplash

As a writer, success is a lagging measure.

It only shows up after you’ve been putting in the work for 12–18 months. This means you could start doing the right work that will lead to success, and then stop early — thinking you were doing something wrong because you aren’t getting the results.

Chances are, we’ve all done this.

So how do you know if you’re on the right path?

When what you’re working on interrupts your life.

If new ideas or insights come out of nowhere — showing up at the most inconvenient time — that’s a sign that you’re on the right path. Because your subconscious is connecting the dots and working on the project without your conscious thought.

Next time you’re on a walk and get flooded with ideas, write them down. And take note.

That’s a sign that you’re on the right path.

If you’re a non-fiction writer who’s struggling to make money, you’re in the right place.

Building a business and being great at writing are two different skills.

Join over 1,000 other non-fiction writers who are learning business by clicking here

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Gabriel Klingman

Ops Manager for Capitalism.com. In March, I wrote 70k words in 7 days. Follow to learn the business of writing.