Nature is whole and yet never finished.
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The first time I experienced the feeling that my writing career was similar to a garden, I felt a tremendous amount of relief. I was juggling a lot at the time and also learning a lot, as usual, and the concept of “garden” made me realize that no matter how wild and unwieldy my career seemed to be growing, I’d be able to handle it if I just kept nurturing it and stayed focused on the moment. If you conceptualize your career as a garden, you’ll be able to manage the growth process better, as well.
Process Claimed
If you have gotten this far in this book, you have actively claimed a space for your writing both internally and externally. You have gotten into the habit of creating fertile ground for your self-expression on the page. Once you have this habit down, plant an idea, nurture it, and flesh it out fully, the habit is yours for good.
Ritual As Creative Context
Just as a garden may be a raised bed with copper wire to discourage slugs and a tall fence to keep out deer and other animals, you are cultivating a space that nurtures your most high-minded aspirations, because once you activate your creative “place,” whatever comes into it will be amplified. Therefore, treat your real and virtual creative spaces as you would sacred spaces. Recognize that if you stop showing up, everything will grow wild with neglect. Visit your creative garden in a committed, devoted fashion.
Preparation As Fertile Soil
You recognize that your mind is only as fertile as what you put in it. Therefore, be particular about what will fertilize your best ideas. You are methodical, yet selective, just as you would be in nurturing a child. You keep your mind receptive and enriched along the entire journey because you understand that your creative process needs healthy choices. You read books, take classes, and participate in events that will give you the key growth ingredients your garden needs.
Idea Protection
You have learned that talking about and dissipating your ideas only weakens them. You’ve noticed that premature exposure may pollute your ideas and make them become what others conceive instead of helping you exercise and develop your own perceptions. You want to take your ideas all the way from seed to result. The same way slugs are not welcome in a garden full of fresh sprouts, keep your mental space clear of “predators” that would mow down your dreams and make a feast of your hard work.
This post from chapter 89 of The Writer’s Workout. Tune in for part two next month…
Christina Katz is a writing career coach with thirteen years of coaching experience. Her work appears in national, regional, and online publications. She is also the author of many books and e-books for writers. She teaches writers to prosper by building solid, saleable, life-long career skills via classes and training groups that work even in a rapidly evolving publishing marketplace. Learn more about The Writer’s Workout.
