Short and Sweet Advice for Writers: Write Like a Weed

Ahh, the humble weed. Scorned, belittled, hacked at, trod on, uprooted, and taken for granted, these tenacious flora still manage to proliferate. Undaunted by our judgment of their unworthiness, they flourish in every available crevice. They are not affected by our opinions.  They do not compare themselves to other plants; they just keep reaching up toward the sun and drilling down toward the water.

Far from being particular about soil conditions, weeds grow almost anywhere. There is nothing delicate about these flowers; they are more fierce than floral. Weeds are stamped on, sprayed with noxious chemicals, and pulled out of the ground, yet they persist. Determined hands scrape the dirt away, cruelly exposing their naked roots, but somehow they manage to survive.

Even when it looks as though the weed has succumbed, when no stem or leaf is left above ground as evidence of the weed’s existence, even then the weed lives. Deep under the ground it’s roots continue to thrive. They dig in and hold on, defiantly wrapping around tree roots and stone, refusing to admit defeat. It won’t be long before a new shoot emerges into the light.

Write like this: write like a weed. Do not care if others judge you. Do not let comparison distract you. Do not wait for the perfect conditions. Do not let any word or deed or inner fear keep you from continuing to do your work. Just dig in and write. Stay focused. Stay true. Do what  you were meant to do. Be what you were meant to be.

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Jamie Lee Wallace Hi. I’m Jamie. I am a content marketer and branding consultant, columnist, sometime feature writer, prolific blogger, and aspiring fiction writer. I’m a mom, a student of equestrian and aerial arts (not at the same time), and a nature lover. I believe in small kindnesses, daily chocolate, and happy endings. Join me each Saturday for the Weekend Edition (a fun post and great community of commenters on the writing life, random musings, writing tips, and good reads), or introduce yourself on Facebook, twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest. I don’t bite … usually.
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