For My Paid Subscribers: More on Finding Your Authentic Voice

Some years back, a girlfriend offered to teach me to ride a horse. I was a little bit scared since I’d never ridden before, but I was also excited. I liked putting my arms around horse’s necks, I loved nuzzling their noses and I loved how they smelled. But when I climbed up on the horse’s back, I white knuckled the reins. I was stiff as a board and I felt anxious and at odds with the powerful creature beneath me. I was battling the horse’s rhythm and movements, but I kept on doing it until one day, I got into the saddle, I relaxed, and I felt the horse’s natural gait for the first time. I tuned into her rhythm. My friend looked over at me, smiled, and said, “You found your seat.” As I posted up and down in an easy gait, the saddle seemed felt softer and I could hardly wait for the next day to do it all over again.

It’s a similar kind of experience when you’re looking for your writing voice. It’s about trying and failing, feeling awkward, shedding layers, being patient, calming yourself down and relaxing into the saddle. When it happens, you’ll know, just like I knew when I finally got in tune with the horse.