THE FLUIDITY OF WRITING
"Creative
juices flowing."
"Awash in
inspiration."
“Prose that flows
smoothly.”
“A sea of words.”
These are but a few
of the terms used to describe the craft of scribes. The association between
writers and water is quite telling; water is an essential part of life and
growth. It wakes up the sleeping, replenishes the thirsty, and sustains life. Cities
were built around bodies of it.
To those who engage
in wordcraft, writing is like water, because to them, writing is life. It is the
very purpose and reason for living. It is what sustains them emotionally,
spiritually, and psychologically. For an author, writing can ease inconsolable sadness,
elevate feelings of personal accomplishment, and bring untold personal
satisfaction. It helps to germinate and transform. Even a mild or shy
individual can become a teacher, a judge, a comedian, or a critic influencing their
audience without ever seeing them. Writing can restore old memories by adding to
or stripping away the patina of history. Like water, writing also purifies,
cleanses, and replenishes.
Just as water takes
on the shape of the vessel that carries it, true success is achieved when an
author’s words become a part of the reader. Separately, a glass of water is simply
a glass and a puddle; it is not until the two are joined together that they are
both defined as something unique and purposeful. Without this union, the glass,
like the reader, will remain empty and dry, while the puddle, like the writer,
will evaporate.
Of all the elements,
water is the most powerful, but for it to be strong it must flow. Fluid water
is healthy water while stagnant water is unhealthy and corrupted by its own its
own inactivity. Writers must continue to flow as well; they must always be working
and moving toward the next idea, refining their last sentence, or developing
their next paragraph. It is through this fluidity that they too become strong.
The earth can nurture
the seed, but without water, the seed cannot grow. While a fire burns bright, it
eventually consumes itself, and if left unchecked, can be destructive. Wind knows
but two emotions: anger and calm. Water, however, allows the seed to grow,
controls the fire, and enhances the mood of the wind. In much the same way,
writing also promotes growth, dictates the intensity of emotions, and enhances
the reader. The world cannot live without water or writers.
