Jeff Bezos
Wikimedia Commons

The first time I heard an Amazon commercial, I was in my car, driving to or from work. And back then, work was the place where I put in most of my computer time. Working. Never shopping. In those days, I purchased my books at brick and mortar stores. The self-published people I knew spent thousands of dollars and sold their own books one copy at a time.

Now? Well, you know what happened. That company called Amazon has taken over the world. (Just a small exaggeration!)

If your New Year’s resolve has already started to melt away, if you’re blocked in whatever it is you’re working on, if you think you suck, here are three pearls of wisdom from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, perfect for any writers among you.

1) If you’re not stubborn, you’ll give up on experiments too soon. And if you’re not flexible, you’ll pound your head against the wall and you won’t see a different solution to a problem you’re trying to solve.

Keep working on that manuscript. Ease off when you’re stuck and find the right path.

2) If you double the number of experiments you do per year, you’re going to double your

Woman at her Writing
Johann Ender
Wikimedia Commons

inventiveness.

Write, write, and then write some more. Try another genre. Come up with a new story.

3) If you never want to be criticized, for goodness’ sake don’t do anything new.

Not everyone will love your work or agree with your choices. Suck it up and keep going.

Bezos says “Invention requires a long-term willingness to be misunderstood.” Put on a smile and keep moving down your own path.