I’ve been on a writing kick recently. Like a lot of people when the going got tough in my life I got writing. Sometimes it’s a place for a personal catharsis, sometimes it’s a political Jeremiad, and sometimes it’s an exercise in creativity. Whenever I do write I feel full and energized, free and even easy. I have so many streams of thought charging through my brain that I need to divert some of them somewhere where they can relieve me or inform an audience. I have realized the value of putting thoughts down, of conceiving ideas, and putting words together thoughtfully, playfully. Words are like tools, imagery is instructive. But the voice is true, unadulterated, somewhat edited before making its way out. One of my mentors once said that I was “guileless in the best sense.” I don’t like fluff or exaggeration, though I try to write artfully, deliberately, trying to find the right words, trying to assemble a thought. Sometimes I write in my head while running, biking, or walking. It doesn’t seem to happen while I am swimming, because I think I am too preoccupied with technique or distance and with not drowning. I suppose I am more present while I swim. I have been reaching out to writers asking them for guidance, writing and networking advice. Some are freelance writers, some are academics, and others are more corporate/social media types. Where do I fit in? Where do I want to fit in? Who will take me? I have described this moment as a midlife crisis, which it is, but one of my advisors said it sounds more like a creative crisis. I know the creative process, more from my experience in the visual arts than the literary. Sure, I‘ve written plenty of papers…