Out of the Woods

 

 View of the Hudson Valley from Glorie Farm, Marlboro, NY

 

Spent much of the time since my last post in the woods. Partly because for the past fifteen months due to the global pandemic, it's been the only place I've felt safe and partly, okay, mostly, because the woods are my sanctuary. This is true in both a literal and literary sense. 

 

Hiking in the woods makes me feel calmer, disconnected from our in some ways empowering but in other ways debilitating, digital world. It's an escape, a way to clear one's mind and think, explore and simply enjoy the natural beauty and magic of the earth we all live on. 

 

If I think about my writing in this context, it has recently become clear to me that my fanfic work, which I truly love and enjoy is analogous to my walks in the woods: necessary, fortifying, soul-strengthening, but... safe. 

The time may now be here, as a writer, to come out. To exit the sanctity of the woods, and take the leap into a full and determined pursuance of original writing. Considering I have a finished first draft of an original novel, which has been beta read and, if I am brave and honest with myself, I can more or less objectively say needs work but really isn't bad at all, it's not like I would be starting from scratch. 

There's a lot you can learn in the woods, crafts to be honed, connections to be made, realizations to be had, friendships to find and forge. But the hike always has to end. At the end of the day, you have take what you found, learned and discovered and bring it home. 

I may have reached the point of my writing journey where I am finally there. I know I've wanted to be for a while, and I have made efforts in the past to try to be. But sometimes, one has to be patient (not something I'm stellar at) and wait for the universe to align you with your dreams. When that happens, one has to find the courage to take the leap. 

Courage isn't exactly my strong suit either, but if I managed to make it through the patience part of this already, maybe I can do the courage part too. 

Especially because I've found people to take the journey with me. 

More on that in my next post. 😊