When you decide to become a professional writer, there are some critical things you need to foster beyond your writing skills. To spur your writing success, you need to PICK up these additional skills and hone them throughout your career.

Without PICK skills, reaching your potential and dreams hangs like the juiciest, most perfect apple, just out of reach.

So what are they? I hoped you’d ask. Each letter of PICK stands for a skill that spurs success. (And note, they have nothing to do with your years of writing or experience.) Let’s dive in and explore them.