Creative Trust Fall

When you start writing, it may seem like you’re just sitting in a chair.

What you’re really doing is crossing your arms over your chest, closing your eyes and letting yourself fall backwards into the unknown. Every time you sit down to write, you take the trust fall.

Before we start, writers don’t know how a piece will turn out or even that it will turn out at all. We don’t know how far the idea will take us or what twists and turns we’ll make along the way. We don’t know how other people will respond or how we ourselves will feel about what we write.

The only way to find out to take the chance and see what happens.

We need a certain level of trust before we’ll take that chance. If you don’t trust the person who’s supposed to catch you, you can’t let go.

Even if you lean back and try to fall, your arms will flail and you’ll take a step back to regain your balance.

If you don’t trust yourself, you’ll can’t take the creative trust fall. You’ll check your creative impulses instead. You’ll take a step back to work on something a little safer and a little less exciting. Or you’ll refuse to even try the trust fall and write nothing at all.

How much do you trust yourself? Do you keep promises to yourself? Do you show up when you say you will? Do you give yourself the resources and time you need?

How far can you let yourself fall into uncertainty? Can you play in different genres and cross train in different art forms? Do you explore new topics, techniques and experiences?