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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Off the Deep End

Tell Me Your Story Tuesday


 My "baby" turned eight yesterday. That's not her in the picture. I included it because she also jumped of a diving board for the first time yesterday, well, she sorta jumped of a diving board yesterday.

More like she squatted down on the end of it and tried to convince the sweet, teenage girl in the water ready to catch her that it was too scary.  Which was an improvement from last week when she just stood at the end of the diving board and cried.

Thankfully, no one involved in these swimming lessons belongs to the "sink-or-swim" school of thought. The reason I didn't include the actual picture of her "jumping" off is because it included her coach, who is a very nice guy, but not exactly Roni Loren's Boyfriend of the Week, if you know what I mean.

Her coach was in the picture because when he saw my daughter was about to retreat off the diving board again, he  stepped up behind her. He cut off her exit, reassuring her in a calm voice and, with her permission, helped her off the end of the board into the water.

Sometimes, this is what we need when we are writing. I am nearing the stage when it will be time to jump into the pool of querying and pitching. This time last year, I would have stood on the end of the board and cried.

Now, I am squatting on the end. Man, it is a long way down!

As writer's we need someone in the water, waiting to catch us. Our writers' group, critique partners, online friends, they are all there. Most important, we need someone to cut of our exit and nudge us off the end.

So, tell me your story. Are you on the diving board? Or already in the water? Do you have someone waiting to catch you? Do you need someone to help
you in?

Be sure stop by Thinking about Thursday.
Author Keli Gwyn is guest blogging.

3 comments:

Loree Huebner said...

I've been there before...I'm squatting. Ready to jump in the the query pool again very soon.

Nice post!

Jessica R. Patch said...

The diving board! That's awesome! My son just turned 7, started swimming lessons and went under water without holding his nose for the first time. He came up and didn't even ask for a towel!

I'm at least chin deep in the water and enjoying it! :)

Dawn Alexander said...

Thank, Loree and Jessica. I plan to jump in by the end of the summer.