Is the writer’s life really a whirlwind of creative highs, writer’s block, thrilling projects, and missed deadlines? We know what we think it means to be a professional author. But Kevin J. Anderson wants to change that perception.

In this episode of Character Test, I talk with an author of over 150 books—including more than 50 bestsellers—about what it really means to be a pro. 

Kevin J Anderson is the author of books in the Dune series, Star Wars, Superman, X-Files, and more. He has over 23 million books in print, and his writing has been translated into more than thirty languages. He’s at the top of the field in the book publishing world.

Listen to our conversation on the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Android, Spotify, Stitcher, SimpleCast, or here below:

What does it really mean to be a professional author? In this episode, we talk about the strategies that helped Kevin pursue his career, including:

• The most important qualities all top authors share.
• Kevin’s favorite question about how to find story ideas (hint: it’s not, “Where do you get your ideas?”).
• The mindset shift that moved him from one story idea to hundreds.
• Why Kevin is passionate about changing the way writers are viewed.
• Why he goes hiking through the Colorado mountains in order to write.
• Why he loves to share everything he’s learned.

You can find Kevin’s books here. He also runs his own publishing company, as well as a publishing course. You can follow Kevin on Twitter and Facebook.