"Writing and arranging the words is actually just a front-end of the skill set. I get paid to write because I’m pleasant and enthusiastic, and because I know when to say no to jobs; I get paid because I’m honest and I know how to fact-check; I get paid because I’m attentive and responsive and answer emails from editors at 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.; I get paid because I make people’s jobs easier and more fun; I get paid because I know how to provide and organize information; I get paid because I know the skills of reporting, so I can bring trustworthy data and commentary."

The Awl’s Choire Sicha on the business of writing (via Quora)