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Writing Underwater

Writer's picture: MorningstarMorningstar

I like to write underwater. You read that correctly, let me explain.


I have always been an avid swimmer. But even though I have never regretted a swim, sometimes I need some extra motivation. Enter my underwater MP3 player. Yes, they exist, yes, they are awesome, and yes, I can listen to anything I want while I swim. I try and go with motivational music (Winning by Carlos Santana or Eye of the Tiger by Survivor), music about swimming (Swim by Jack's Mannequin or Swim Until You Can't See Land by Frightened Rabbit), or music that let's me pretend I'm in the islands (Any of Toots and the Maytals or the Moana Soundtrack).


What does this have to do with writing? Hold yer ponies, I'm getting there. You see as much as music helps length after length go by in a swishy blue blur, I make sure that one swim a week I don't use any music at all. This is for two reasons. One reason is that I like to swim in open water, and music is a no-no there as it's too dangerous. So I go without sometimes in the pool so I don't withdraw from it when I finally get to swim in open water. The second reason is that as I go into my noiseless world of water, my brain starts to make stories. It has taken some time and effort, but I have even learned to direct those stories so that they apply directly to my current writing endeavor. This morning, somewhere between lengths 111 and 120, my mind paved over a plot hole in my current book. Woohoo! Thank you, brain!


So if this works so well, why don't I do it every time I swim? Because it doesn't happen every time I swim. For whatever reason, the gods and goddesses of water and writing only allow this gift to occur periodically. Like once a week. So I go with that and don't ask for more. It works for me.


What works for you? In what environment does your mind do its best writing? Are you a suburban walker, a subway dreamer, or a forest muser? Maybe you don't like to go anywhere and are a homestyle bolt up in the middle-of-the-night kind of writer? Work with what works best for you, but if you're stuck, you might just want to go for a swim. Here's a song to get you going!


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