Leaping into a new pool

Dear Wordswimmers:

You know that feeling when you're swimming in one direction and after a while you need to find a new direction to swim in?

That happened recently when I received a fountain pen from my cousin and I switched from using gel pens to writing with a fountain pen, and suddenly it was if I was swimming in a new direction and a whole new world opened up.

The switch to a fountain pen led unexpectedly to the discovery of different kinds of journals, and I discovered how different it felt to write on quality paper in new journals like the ones that I bought from one of the many Japanese companies that produce fine journals. (Midori journals are my favorite.)

Using a fountain pen and a new journal transformed the way I feel about writing in ways that I could never have imagined.

And now, with recent changes to Blogger, which is eliminating email subscriptions, I feel the need to explore a new direction yet again. 

I know it can be challenging to try something new--it takes a leap of faith, doesn't it?--but I know it also can be liberating. 

Anyway, I've decided to swim in a new direction and leap into a different pool. 

Beginning on Sunday, July 4th, I'll share my wordswimmer posts on Substack (free for readers), and we'll see what happens.

Who knows? Maybe I'll discover something about the writing process that I'd never known before. Or maybe I'll meet writers who I never would have met if I hadn't switched directions.

I'll still planning to post thoughts and musings about writing and books here, so you don't have to swim in a new direction if you find the water here to your liking. (I happen to love swimming here and wouldn't go elsewhere, except for the email changes.)

So, if you happen to find yourself, like me, wanting to swim in a new direction, you might enjoy checking out my wordswimmer newsletter on Substack, especially since it'll come as an email straight to your email inbox.

Whether you stay here or take the leap with me, I hope wherever you decide to dive in that you'll discover a new way of understanding the writing process.

Here's the link if you feel like swimming over: https://bruceblack.substack.com

I'm looking forward to seeing you in the pool (here or there) sometime soon.

Take care, and keep writing!

Bruce