Cutting the Umbilical Cord

As a writer, I respect the advice given by other writers. Author, Annie Dillard explains in her book, The Writing Life, the importance of cutting the umbilical cord with words we cherish, adore, and worship. Why the strong attachment? Because we climbed a mountain to see those words.

Writing isn’t easy, at least not for me. Sometimes, I tell my husband, it’d be easier to dig a ditch to China than to articulate the ideas swimming around in my head and inspiring my heart.

But, when I do finally write down something that makes so much sense to me and even was part and parcel to a fantastic spiritual healing, I need to remember Dillard’s words and sometimes cut the umbilical cord. Let the words go. They only mean that much to me.

Writers benefit readers, but only when we speak to readers, rather than listen to our own favorite words. It’s not the end of the world to cut the umbilical cord.