Delving deep

I think we are all a different writer than we imagined and I think that's a good thing. Sometimes the barriers come from empty wells, and yes, restoration of one's self and creative soul will revive one's writer self and help drop those barriers. But sometimes I don't want to look at things in a more balanced way. I want to give myself permission to go balls out and meet the deep, dark, heebie geebies head-on and quit stopping myself because I wuss out at what I might find when I get there.

But giving myself permission to dive deep into my personal pit of emotion is a lot easier than standing on the edge and jumping in.

And what scares me or makes it difficult for me to write past my personal barriers is not the same as the next writer. We are all unique, evem (or perhaps especially) when it comes to our inner demons.) My sense of humor doesn't come out much in my writing. Heck, it doesn't come out much in my life. I could ignore the issues that compel me to write but when I do, I'm not happy and my writing isn't honest. I write to heal myself. If I can heal a reader or two in the process, all the better.

Some writers have said that entirely too much time is wasted by writers trying to force themselves to go deep when they should have been dancing instead. I can't dance (you can't make me) but I do think we don't necessarily go looking for something deep - I think some of us just finally open our eyes enough to admit we see what's always been there. (You'd be amazed at how much writing I've done over the years with my eyes shut.) And that's when some of us make a major leap in our craft. Your mileage may vary.

I think the reality is that inside all writers is the ability to do both, dive into the black pit and write about your demons and at other times, wander into a garden, soak up some sun, and string words like petals of a flower for necklace.

Sometimes we need to just sit down and write without the editors and publishers and booksellers and agents and critique members sitting on our shoulder and come face to face with our own truths in the process.

Write on, right now.
Susan