In Search of Magic: a post for writers

I’ve been thinking about magic. (Maybe because I’m re-reading Harry Potter yet again? Heh. I am, but no, not that kind of magic. The writing kind.) You know--those moments when the words are flowing, when you lose yourself in story, when a truth emerges from the struggle in a grand epiphany, or you simply have a blast playing with words. That kind of magic. Isn’t that awesome?

Living here on the west coast of Canada, I occasionally have the good fortune to see something magnificent, something magical: whales! Orcas, humpbacks, grey whales. Every time I see one, it’s an absolute thrill. A few days ago, I saw a pod of Orcas on the far side of Discovery Passage, and last month, as I was driving just south of town with my daughter, she spotted a humpback playing near shore. Of course we pulled over and watched!

Despite these recent wonders, sightings are actually quite rare for me. With how much time I spend wandering the local beaches and staring at the ocean, you’d think I’d see whales more often. I know they're out there! But the thing is, there’s just no way to know exactly when they’ll make an appearance. Sure, when the herring are running, odds are good the Orcas will be there, looking for an easy meal. But will they surface right where I am, right when I’m looking? Maybe not this time. Maybe not next time. But if I spend enough time by the ocean, eventually I’ll see them again. And when I do, it’ll be awesome!

So, what does this have to do with writing? Just this: we need to show up, and keep showing up – spend the time, do the work, get the words down, day after day after day – because we never know when the magic will happen. But it will.