Words Just Keep Coming at Me!
Time to harness them
Welcome or welcome back! Series two, episode five of A Writer’s Life! If you’d like to hear me read this, then click here: (Music by FASSounds and Music_For_Videos from Pixabay.)
3 minute read
Sticks and stones - we know how that saying goes. But we also know that words can hurt us. Who can cast their minds back to a time when something someone said really upset them? It could be a childhood memory we're still holding onto now. A pattern that was formed, a behaviour introduced or maybe further reinforced.
Similarly, we may have memories of words that have energised us, really powered us up. Words have power. No wonder ancient traditions placed such importance on sharing stories as a community. Sharing is caring.
We all have a story to tell, even if we feel we cannot find the words or that no one will listen or be interested. I certainly felt this when I first started sharing my poems. I thought no one would think them any good - that they weren't real poetry. It amazed me when people said they resonated with my work, enjoyed reading it, or listened attentively when I performed. I had made a connection.
Connections are the first step to forming a bond. Bonds are the foundation of belonging, nurturing, recognition, respect and empathy. That’s why I'm so keen to keep writing, publishing books and encouraging others to do so as well.
It doesn't matter what kind of writing we do whether it’s stories, memoirs, poems, blogs, essays or articles. We place a precious part of ourselves in our work and expose it to the unknown. We dig deep to find the courage to share.
Recently I had the pleasure of speaking with a self-published author Karen Jackson. Karen’s book Overwhelmed: and other words we give our power away to really resonated with me. It’s a great book - part memoir, part journal and a wonderful guide. It allows you time to think and explore your thought patterns and ideas as well as examine your relationship with words. You can meet Karen here when we did a video interview:
https://horrortree.com/watch-our-interview-with-the-amazing-karen-jackson/
I’m so glad writing has returned to be a part of my life. It allows me expression, freedom and release. My poems started off as a way to unearth unprocessed emotions. To unlock them from the hidden depths of the darkest dungeons I had banished them to. They needed to be liberated, allowed flight and the opportunity to transform. Even when I write articles or fiction, there’s something of me woven amongst those words. It might present as a certain point of view or a reference to something that has had an impact on me. Or when I look more closely at the fiction I’ve written, I find it is inspired by a past experience, feeling, longing or projection.
My words are an extension of me. They live. They need to be nurtured and fed, allowed light and sometimes the water of tears. When they are shared with the world, they allow more to come in. Clicking publish and sending a part of yourself out there takes courage. It changes you and the gamble is most certainly worth it.
“We believe it’s time to come out of the shadows, be seen and heard– and that’s why we help aspiring authors reach their self-publishing goals.”
https://www.writingforlight.com/
P.S. The tables were turned when Karen interviewed me for her podcast. Take a listen here to discover more about my journey here:
Keep writing, keep the words flowing and hold onto the vision of becoming an author. It’s not out of reach!
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“My words are an extension of me.” Truth!