The Writing Process

Writers in the making must endure a painful purging process which is often a mystery to others. As we find the courage and build the confidence to pen our inner thoughts and experiences, it becomes obvious that the undertaking is risky but not without reward. Facing demons of doubt and despair causes us to dive deeply into our dungeons, desperately seeking assurance and validation for what we know must be written.

The reality is that the process of writing requires solitude so that we can go off on solo excursions to identify and excavate the truth of our thoughts, feelings, observations and experiences. Sadly, this is not always understood by those around us because they are unable to comprehend the complexity of what we experience or even worse, they perceive our seeming distraction and contradictions as reasons to treat us differently. People can easily misconstrue our process and misunderstand the paths of our journey, causing us to feel misled or like a misfit. Regardless of the perceptions, we must go through the process because it is only through the authentic experiences and frightening feelings that our writing will be solid and deemed credible.

To that end, we must overcome the necessary solitude and the feelings of alienation which comes with the writing process in order to produce what is deposited in the goldmine of our hearts. Resilience and inner fortitude, coupled with an unmoving reliance on GOD, must be utilized to ensure that the gifts within will be protected, preserved and produced. Many may not understand the shifts and changes we go through – in fact, no one can truly understand what a writer feels or the urgent need to get it from the thought to the paper. It is like a pregnant mother feeling the changes from the inside and not being able to control the external expressions on the outside. When the time for her delivery approaches, momentum builds and things begin to change rapidly. In like manner, a writer has no other choice but to feel, fear and flow as the realities pour out in ways that enable valid expressions which eventually have great meaning. Let us be mindful that the writing process is a journey worthy of our disclosure and eventual exposure, and choose to feel it and face it all (even the frightening parts) so that the voice we hold within can find a means of expression for the benefit of others.