“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open.”
-excerpt from Martha: The Life and Work of Martha Graham- A Biography
I love this quote. It reminds me who I am writing for: me. I write the stories I want to read, but it is a challenge every day to not compare myself with other writers. Every day I strive to keep the channel open, to not think about whether my work is valuable or not. I struggle every day to set aside the question of whether or not I even believe in myself.
Martha’s words remind me that writing is an art, and that I have a unique voice to add to the chorus of voices out there. In the same way I sing in the shower, I endeavor to write like nobody is reading, just for me.
This is probably only going to get harder, because eventually I do plan to pitch my novel to agents, and I hope to sell my book to a publisher, who will then attempt to market it to the masses. Every step of that process sounds like an exercise in humility.
But I guess I’ll jump off those bridges when I get to them.
For now – I write, and keep the channel open.
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