I came up for air this week after an intense month of memoir writing. Although creativity can be fun and rewarding I’ve noticed that it can sometimes feel terrifying and exhausting.
As I launched into this latest stretch of art-making, I realized that I needed something physical at my writing desk that would help me muster the courage to keep writing. I wanted something that would scare away the nasty voices not only of doubt but of fear that I would die if I told some family secrets.
One day, I realized what I needed at my computer was: a sword! So, I ran to Finnegan’s Toy Store and for less than $5 I acquired my own King Arthur-era sword that even comes with its own sheath.
Its presence reminds me to take the plunge, run towards the enemy, dive into the truth, keep writing into every nook and cranny. Ridiculously, this plastic, made-in-China sword has helped me.
Now, I wouldn’t write without it!
What physical object, totem, rabbit’s foot, or ??? do you take with you into the studio or to the writing desk to scare away not only the demons of doubt but the real pressures we feel sometimes to hold back?