Writing sounds simple enough, until you try it. In my experience writing is like a weed. When I gardened I read gardening books voraciously. I read many descriptions of weeds. My favorite explanation of weeds was by Celia Thaxter who proclaimed a weed, “A plant with a propensity to get itself into the wrong place.” Writing has an overwhelming tendency to show up at the wrong time and the wrong place.
This post is number five On Being a Writer from the Online Discussion Group hosted by Kate Motaung.
If I schedule writing time the odds of the words, just pouring out of my brain are not high. I will probably need something to “prime the pump” and get the words flowing. If I am on my way out the door and I will be busy for hours, the words gush out of my mind. Writing seems like a jealous lover, always testing to see if you love him enough to put him first. Despite all the bad analogies, writing can also be cathartic. Learning to live with the free-flow of words and ideas may be challenging, but ultimately worth the effort to negotiate a mutually beneficial treaty of wellbeing.
As so many people have said before, the words seem to come from someplace “other” than the writer’s brain. Writers are not entirely in charge. Prayer is my best help. In everything praying helps, but with writing it helps me to remember that the right words are never going to come from my own ability. Surrender is the difficult route to the most successful writing. Writing can be about letting the words come unbidden. Poetry always comes to me without conscious effort. I only know I have a poem when I have a couple of stanzas in my thoughts. The meter and/or rhyme attracts my attention and I scurry to find a pen before they are gone.
When I make time and allow the words room in my life I am happier and more fulfilled. On a deep level, beyond the words, I know that I am supposed to write. In the end, all I can do is repeat what King David said,” Let the words of my mouth[and keyboard] and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14. Amen.
pilgrim journey through life 
Oh my goodness…this is SO MUCH ME TOO: “The meter and/or rhyme attracts my attention and I scurry to find a pen before they are gone.” I learned the hard way though. A few times I didn’t write the words down and they were lost forever! I love that Psalm 19 verse: the words I say every time before I preach a sermon. I want them to be lived out and carried out in my every day writing as well.
Thank you for your kind words, Tara! I have lost poems and I regretted the loss until I began to consider them as poems from God to me. Perhaps those too swift words were a private poem meant only to get my attention. I am grateful that I can catch most the poems I recognize.
hi amymae:) i enjoyed seeing the apostle’s creed on your about page:) that was a little different. i’m your next door neighbor today.
I agree, the words tend to come from a combination of places for me. many come from life experience and the changes GOD has worked in my life over time. i don’t make any claims to profunity that comes from my prayer, but i do notice that GOD brings things to mind that i often haven’t thought of in years! 🙂 i don’t think they are always terribly profound however.
but somehow the thoughts come together in a way that GOD uses. Sometimes, the person who needs to hear them most is me! But even so, GOD seems to use His Word doesn’t He?
I enjoyed reading your post and I agree about not feeling in charge of writing a lot of the time and ideas coming at the inconvenient moments but not when you actually have time to write. I like your point about the importance of prayer- “the right words are never going to come from my own ability”- I think that’s something I need to take on board more- it’s about handing it over to God and trusting him to give us the words and use them to impact others.
What a thoughtful post! Really appreciate your perspective. Thank you for taking the time to write and link up!
I love the verse from Psalm 19. Your thoughts about writing being a jealous lover also came to mind. There have been plenty of times that I have had an idea rolling around in my head all day, and by the time my children are in bed and I have time to write about it, it is gone. Thank you for sharing about your writing journey with us.