Staying Connected

There is a danger with writers becoming so immersed in observing the world that they forget to live in it. Writing teaches us many skills, the most useful of which is to be a careful observer of the natural world and human behavior within it. We are taught to listen, watch and learn, and then write about our discoveries in a way that helps people see life through a unique lens. But too much observing and not enough doing can leave us bereft of that vital connection with everyday experience that is so crucial to connective writing. Connective writing is the type of writing that connects everyday experiences with new truths through the vision of skillful language. It's writing that helps readers see themselves and understand their world in new ways by making the common uncommon, the ordinary special. This connectivity can only be tapped into by interacting daily with the world. Writers who isolate themselves from everyday problems eventually experience a disconnect with the very readers they wish to connect with. It's the lessons we learn from our ordinariness that hold special truth for readers. They can relate and respond to our writing because they've been there. We can help them understand their experiences in new and meaningful ways when we're engaged in their same struggles. The irony is that we must first immerse ourselves in our daily lives before we can transcend them, and that transcendence is the writer's special gift.