Sailing Writer

I've started work on designing my new blog/website/hub that will someday be located at sailingwriter.com, and as I'm trying to design the site, I've grown acutely aware of my own split personality; I am a sailor and a writer.

But what exactly does that mean?  What am I about these days?

I've started wondering if I might not be becoming completely unhinged by these two facets of my personality.

You see, I've just turned 57 years old, and it's really kind of funny that I am still this navel-gazing ancient adolescent who wonders, who am I?  Aren't we supposed to get over that as we approach the "third third" of our lives?  Evidently, I'm a slow learner.

My life is defined by two big sorts of events:  boats shows and writers conferences.  I know these are my two loves, but how do I make it comprehensible to the rest of the world?  How can I communicate this brand that is me without turning off one half of my audience while I concentrate on the other?

I mean there's something a little schizophrenic about the fact that my pulse beats faster when I visit a boat builder's workshop

Workshop at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michael's, MD

as well as the mega-Apple store in New York.

Glass Cube Apple Store in NYC

My sailing friends don't understand my need to write when I could be sailing, and my writing friends don't understand my need to sail when I could be writing.

Throughout my life I have always been a risk taker.  And I've thrown myself into situations with both of my lifelong passions by going cruising for many years and then becoming land-locked to chase the writing dream.  I've been incredibly fortunate and found some success in both worlds, but I've only managed it by concentrating on one or the other.  For the past several years, while I've been back to sailing again, I haven't completed or published any books.

Now, I have a completed draft of the new book, and I've sent it out to several agents to see if I can get back into the game of traditional publishing; although the renegade hippie cruiser in me is drawn to the indie self-publishing route.  At the same time, I've started my preparations to take off cruising when I quit my job at the end of this semester.  I've signed the papers, and it's official; I am quitting my job so I can write.

For the first time, I must make both sides of my split personality work.  I will have to write books fast enough and well enough to sell them to support myself.  And I will have to sail my boat and maintain it well enough to provide the writer with a place to live and work.  I've never been good at multitasking, and I'll be honest, I'm scared.  I know there are friends of mine who are saying I am crazy to walk away from this good job to pursue my dream of writing full time.  They are waiting with the "I told you so's" on the tip of the tongue.  "Don't quit your day job," they preach.  And that's probably pretty good advice.  But it doesn't speak to the dreams of my split personality.  And on the other side of my life, I was told tonight by an acquaintance, that I was probably the best female captain in my sailing club.  Note the word "female."  And I don't minimize the fact that I have a heck of a lot to learn about my engine, electrical system, refrigeration, etc. if I expect to maintain my boat on my own.  And I wonder if that maintenance will leave me with enough time to write.

But there is a place where the two sides of my split personality feel right at home, a place where people "get me."  It's right here at Write on the Water.  Mike was the one who had the idea for this blog, and the tag line says it all:  "So you want to quit your job, move on a boat, and write."  When we started this, we had no idea how many people might share that dream, that same split personality.  But I'm finding the numbers are growing. People are starting to approach me and tell me that they, too, share these two loves. I've been inviting guest bloggers because I want to build this community, I want to make friends with all these cool people who share my passions.

So, today, I would just like to say to all the readers of this blog, to all those who love writing and the water, thank you so much for proving that I am not alone.

Fair winds!

Christine

 

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