We are all trying to make a splash in the publishing world. Everyday we
j
u
m
p
into our writing.
Sometimes our strokes are strong.
Sometimes we tread water.
Sometimes we tread water.
Sometimes we can't stay afloat.
Staying
Afloat
With pen in hand
I take the leap
Words loom above
The glistening sea of my soul
Smooth and calm
As blank white paper
Terrifying and exhilarating
Like plunging
off a sheer cliff alone
I write
This is no swan dive
Cannon-balling
into space
I hit the
surface hard
Eyes squeezed tight
Holding my
breath
Sinking down,
down, down
Into the depths of my emotions
Cool and dim
Propelling off
the bottom
Rising toward
the brightness
Fighting
resistance
Lungs bursting,
I sense forward
motion
With every stroke
This is
survival
My life breath
Thoughts bubble
to the surface
Ideas become clearer
More vivid
Kicking,
rewriting with all my might
My pen skims
the watery surface
Creating a spray
of hard won phrases, clusters, and clauses
I gasp
Heart-pounding ripples
Soak the
surface of the page
Relaxing, I
float
Words bobbing gently
Leave me vulnerable
Exposed
But that will not keep me
Out of the water. ~Janie Reinart
We can't seem to stay out of the water! So how do we continue to soak the surface of the page with our words?
1. Reach for a life preserver. Call your writing buddy or a critique group member
or check out this article for apps that help you float above your writer's block.
or check out this article for apps that help you float above your writer's block.
2. Stop and look at the colors. Coloring books for adults are in. Think of it as art therapy. The motion and the creativity are relaxing your mind. The ideas will flow.
3. Remember the sea holds treasures. You have a gift. Keep taking that leap. Hold on to your dream. Keep going.
What do you do to stay afloat?
