Adventuring in Utah Gave Me Insight into Important Writing Truths: Part 2 Take it Slow and Don’t Grab the Reins

by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

This month, we’re continuing my 5-part series on Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks. Last week we were in Zion National Park. This month, we’re in Bryce Canyon. (Links to previous posts at the bottom)

Bryce Canyon National Park is home to the world’s largest collection of hoodoos—tall, thin spires of rock carved by water, ice, and gravity. The hoodoos are everywhere, and they create a landscape unlike anything I’ve ever seen!

When we arrived at Bryce Canyon, we took the Queen’s Garden trail to the Navajo Loop. The Queen’s Garden Trail takes you to the canyon floor, and while it is the less steep route down, it still requires some careful walking in order to maintain control. 

There were several areas where we had to lean back as we walked, take short steps, and keep our eyes focused on the trail. When we reached the bottom, we walked around a bit before joining the Navajo Loop trail for the hike back to the top. And that’s when the fun really began. Because the Navajo Loop is mostly steep switchbacks that keep going … and going … and going…

You might be wondering why we wouldn’t take the steeper path down so we could have an easier hike out? Well, it turns out that while you can hike down the Navajo Loop and back out via the Queen’s Garden, they (whoever ‘they’ are) strongly discourage it for a very interesting reason:

The steeper the descent, the greater the risk of injury. 

It turns out that when you hike down the steeper trail, you’re more likely to sprain your ankle, tear your ACL, or experience the road rash that comes from slipping as you traverse the switchbacks. 

And wouldn’t you know it, the same is true for our writing life! 

It’s so tempting to find the easiest path to publication, but very often that path will lead to injury. 

• Submitting too early to an agent could make that agent less likely to be interested in working with you down the road.

• Publishing before the manuscript is ready could lead to brutal reviews, poor sales, and future rejections. 

• Committing to a course of action before you understand all your options could limit your future earnings and damage your career path.

How much better would it be to take the gradual approach—learn from multiple teachers, read widely, experiment with different writing styles, and build your writing community before you charge into publication? 

Then, when it’s time to move onto the arduous publication path, you’re ready!

It’s so much easier to keep putting one foot in front of the other when you’re healthy in mind, body, and spirit. When you know it’s going to be tough, but you’re ready. When you have the friends around you, the writing experience under your belt, and the confidence that has come from smaller wins. 

Now, please hear me! I know it can be hard to take advice like this. But this is one of those times when trusting the people who have experience is crucial. The writing mentors in your life who have seen it all and lived to tell the tale can spare you a great deal of heartache. 

I had this point driven home on our second day in Bryce Canyon when we took a mule/horse ride into the canyon and around the Peekaboo Loop. 

Fun fact: Putting a control freak on the back of a mule and sending that mule down steep switchbacks makes for a very unpleasant time for both the mule and the rider. My mule’s name was Matthew. Given that I lived to tell the tale, you can rest assured that dear old Matt knew his business. He could walk those canyon paths in his sleep. Matt knew the best places to put his feet and the best angle to take the hairpins.

But that didn’t keep me from trying to help him out. Sweet mercy. I spent half the ride praying and the other half cajoling Matt to, “Please, for the love of all that is holy, don’t kill me.” 

Fun fact: My husband and boys loved the ride because they didn’t spend the whole time trying to argue with a stubborn mule! They trusted their mule and horses, and because they did, they had a blast. I, on the other hand, spent the three hours in so much tension that I needed a handful of ibuprofen and a hot shower before I could even begin to relax. 

Don’t do what I did! 

I’m not saying the writing experts around you are mules…so don’t you go saying that’s what I said!

I am saying that there’s a lot of wisdom in the people who have walked the path before you. And when they say things like, “Slow down.” Or, “It’s too soon.” Or, “Trust the process.” Or, “This might seem slower, but it’s the best approach,” you should listen. 

If you do, you’ll get where you’re going safely and probably have a great time doing it! 

Grace and peace,

Lynn

Next month, we’ll be visiting Capitol Reef National Park … isolated, underappreciated, and humbling. Just like the writing life! 

TWEETABLE

Adventuring in Utah Gave Me Insight into Important Writing Truths: Part 2 Take it Slow and Don’t Grab the Reins @LynnHBlackburn on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Don't Miss the Rest of the Posts in Lynn's series, Adventuring in Utah Gave Me Insight into Important Writing Truths

Part 1: The Brutal Beginning

Part 2: Take it Slow and Don't Grab the Reins

Lynn H. Blackburn is the award-winning author of Unknown Threat, Malicious Intent, and Under Fire, as well as the Dive Team Investigations series. She loves writing swoon-worthy southern suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she's a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters by putting them into terrifying situations while she's sitting at home in her pajamas! She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children. Learn more at www.lynnhblackburn.com.