You Gotta Have Faith

A playwright friend of mine recently had a breakout play after years of living on nothing (at one point he even moved back home with his mom). He didn't come from money or privilege, and his family was not supportive of his career (which, of course, made it that more humiliating to move back home). But in spite of all that, he always believed he was meant to be a writer and that eventually his work would be recognized: he never lost faith in himself or his work.

His recent success got me thinking about the different things that sustain writers during hard times. My friend found strength in meditation. Avi, who became a wildly successful children's/YA author despite having a learning disability, persevered because he believed he had stories worth telling -- and because he liked his writing, even when no one else did. Suzan-Lori Parks advises writers to "have faith in your personal effort or sweat. And faith in God, or whatever you want to call it. Then the voices will come.”

What sustains you during lean times? If you've ever been tempted to give up, what kept you going? What advice do you have for writers suffering from doubt?