Mary Higgins Clark released book number 43 yesterday, just in time for Mother's Day (the third biggest book-buying holiday after Christmas and Father's Day). I have never read one of her mystery novels, but a recent article in the Wall Street Journal helped me see all the reasons why this woman shines.
Aspiring writer or not, there are lessons we can learn from this woman's incredibly productive life:
Clark has found a way to Use Her Strengths and because of that, writing books for more than fifty-five years doesn't feel like work. At 83 years old, she is still going strong.
She is Accountable. Clark writes everyday from 9:30 a.m. until late afternoon, breaking only for lunch.
Mary Higgins Clark is Relentlessly Passionate. She didn't write one or two mystery novels and then revel in her success. She is passionate about writing books and relentless about the discipline involved in publishing one a year.
Mary Higgins Clark Rejects Mediocrity. All 42 of her books have been best sellers and her books have spent a collective 355 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list. She doesn't just write books, she also has marketing savvy - often traveling the world to meet her loyal fan base.
Mary Higgins Clark kept Perspective. She collected 40 rejection slips before her first short story was published in 1956. And that was during a time when she was raising five children on her own. She didn't wallow in self-pity. Instead she woke up at 5:00 a.m. and wrote before her children started their days.
Even after 42 best selling books, Clark still has a sense of occasion and celebration. For every hardcover release, she rewards herself with a new piece of jewelry to wear in her author photo. Now there is a woman after my own heart!
And, last but not least, I love this one: Clark scans the newspapers for crimes and tragedies that could be spun into her novels. While most of us lament over the negative news filling our papers and t.v., Clark keeps one eye squarely focused on the silver lining. That is a little like Shine Principle #6, Bring Out the Best in Others. Or is it? Hmmm.
One thing feels certain. The principles involved in shining seem to be the same, no matter the sector - teacher, mother, nurse, team member, or best-selling author.
Here's to 83 years and 43 books. Maybe her latest will show up under my Mother's Day tree.