On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

In a recent post on the Writer Unboxed blog, author and editor Kathryn Craft shared a unique approach to the writing life. Here’s an excerpt from that post:

For the 22 years I’ve been meandering up Author Mountain, I’ve been taking what you could call the Johnny Appleseed approach to the writing life: I keep seeds in my pocket wherever I go, and sow them wherever my spirit leads me. Which, let’s face it, is often into a library, bookstore, or a gathering of writers—I’m a writer, so my writing life enriches all of my life.

In fact, if I knew of a secret elevator that could be taken straight to the peak of Authordom Mountain, you wouldn’t find me taking it. There’s no view! No interesting people! No…story! I’d gladly tell you where to find it, but then you’d tell someone else, who would tell someone else, and soon that elevator would be so crowded it wouldn’t work anymore.

Truth is, there isn’t even an identifiable staircase. Each of us must pick our own way up the mountainside, exploring the deer paths, rock scrambles, and switchbacks; surviving the backslides and flash floods; and appreciating the flora, fauna, and vistas that will enrich your life and make your voice sing. Only by following your curiosity and staying keenly alert for the opportunity that’s right for you can you build a career that is uniquely yours.

Source: Writer Unboxed Blog