Bail Out the Boat

The blank page says it all.

I have nothing to write. I don't know what I'm supposed to write about. I don't know where to start. I don't know where to go with it even if I did start.

Is any of it true?

I sit here staring at my screen like the piece is going to write itself, like the words will appear on the page before me, like I don't have to type at all.

That's not how this works.

I have to start typing, and if I don't...

Does it mean I'm a failure? Does it mean I have no ideas? Does it mean I'm all washed up? What could I possibly write about? I could write a poem. About what? Or a story. Where do I start? What words do I use? How does the story go? How does the poem flow? Am I really a writer? Do I have the skill or am I just a fraud? Can I really do this?

Any of these questions sound familiar?

I hope not but if they do then we're in the same boat, and it's sinking.

It's a small boat with a small leak, but water is filling up as the boat sinks. The more water leaking in the quicker the boat goes down. The longer you stare at the page the harder it is to write.

In real life, when your boat starts filling with water you don't hesitate, you grab a bucket and start to bail out the water. You try to keep the boat as light as possible as you make way for land.

Writing should be treated in a similar manner.

When you get stuck and the negative thoughts and questions start flooding in your mind, bail them out. Don't hesitate, just start writing.

Once you start writing, the ideas start flowing. If the ideas are terrible you can delete them and start over. Sometimes the boat will sink, but you have a life jacket, so swim to shore and find a new boat!

Most of the time you will at least inspire yourself to continue writing. The more you write, the more ideas you will be able to catch. Once you patch the leak in the boat you can start fishing, when you fish you either catch a big one or you just simply enjoy the time on the water.

In writing, you might write the big piece, the great story, the deep poem, or you might write something small that is only seen by one person. Sometimes you don't catch anything, but if you're like me then it's not about the catch, it's about the process of casting the line.

Write for the sport, the fish is a nice prize after hours on the water but the hours on the water are what make the catch worth it.

So keep writing.

The hours you spend writing your story are what make the final result a prize to be desired. Before you can catch the fish you need to cast the line. Sometimes your boat starts sinking, writers block.

The trick to getting past that blank page is to type one word after another. Bail out the boat.

Without thinking,

Start writing.

It doesn't have to be perfect, you don't need to bail out every inch of water to keep the boat afloat. You just need to keep scooping up buckets as quick as possible. Once you've got the leak patched up and you're floating on the lake of inspiration, it's smooth sailing. You can take your time and write something meaningful that you deem to be worth sharing. You can also revise any work you do, go back and re-write it. Who's stopping you?

You're the only one in the boat, are you going to sit and watch it sink or are you going to bail it out?

Happy fishing!