There are four elements to any successful writing career, four pillars on which the literary enterprise stands: craft, industry knowledge, mindset, and audience.
Craft

The lynchpin for everything: how to write well. To succeed, you need to refine your skills as a writer until your work reaches publication quality.
Industry knowledge

The majority of writers need to work with other professionals to bring their book to publication. Understanding the publishing industry and how it works is invaluable for success.
Mindset

Writing takes time, focus, perseverance and self-belief. Those skills don’t always come easily. Cultivating motivation, productivity, and discipline pays dividends.
Audience

To launch a career, you need to find readers. Learning how to reach the right people, and how to let them know what you have to offer is at the heart of audience building.