"All good writing is swimming underwater and holding your breath." — F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s insight that “All good writing is swimming underwater and holding your breath” is a perfect metaphor for the art of writing. Good writing requires plunging into the depths of thought and emotion, diving beyond the surface to explore the hidden layers of human experience. Just as a swimmer holds their breath to explore the depths of the ocean, a writer must often hold their breath as they delve into the complexities of their craft, remaining submerged in concentration, emotion, and vulnerability.

The Immersive Nature of Good Writing

Writing requires immersion. To write something meaningful, a writer must mentally detach from the surface distractions of life and descend into their imagination and emotions. This descent is often uncomfortable, but it is essential for capturing authenticity. Great stories, whether fiction or non-fiction, draw readers in because they explore universal themes and emotions. But to capture those, a writer must dive deep into their own fears, desires, and memories.

This “holding your breath” as you write is an act of concentration that’s both intense and freeing. Just as underwater silence helps a diver focus on the world around them, a writer focuses inwardly, finding words that reveal what’s beneath the surface. Writing in this way is not always easy; it’s a challenge to stay with one’s thoughts and explore places that might be painful or exhilarating. Good writing, however, demands this sustained focus and a willingness to confront what lies beneath.

Writing as Vulnerability and Risk

Writing can feel like a risk, a leap into the unknown. When a writer “swims underwater” into their own psyche or experiences, they encounter feelings and ideas that are often unguarded, raw, and even uncomfortable. This vulnerability is necessary, though, for good writing. Readers are drawn to honesty, and the best writing doesn’t hide behind clichés or comfortable conclusions—it reveals something real.

For example, consider personal essays or memoirs. Writers who dive into their past to recount painful or joyful moments are making themselves vulnerable, baring pieces of their lives for readers to see. There’s no telling how people might react, but the willingness to take that risk is what makes the writing powerful. The same goes for fiction. Characters, themes, and plots that are shaped from a writer’s deep emotions and observations often feel more authentic, and as a result, they resonate with readers on a profound level.

The Pressure and Release in Writing

Fitzgerald’s metaphor of holding one’s breath also speaks to the intensity of writing. Writing well can be exhausting, demanding every ounce of mental energy and emotional stamina. This intensity is like the pressure a diver feels as they swim deeper—the greater the depth, the more challenging it becomes to keep going. Writers must keep pushing through, even when it feels uncomfortable, and this struggle often brings about their best work.

There’s a kind of pressure in trying to find the right words, develop a plot, or explore an idea in a way that is both clear and evocative. A writer doesn’t come up for air until they’ve reached the end of a sentence, a paragraph, or sometimes a full chapter. But the reward, the release, comes when they finally finish and can step back to see what they’ve created. Good writing offers that moment of satisfaction, like resurfacing and finally taking a deep breath of air.

Finding Beauty in the Depths

Underwater, light refracts differently, colors shift, and details come alive in unique ways. The same applies to writing: when a writer goes deep, they uncover beauty and insight that isn’t visible from the surface. This often manifests in language that feels fresh and imagery that feels alive. It’s in these depths that writers discover the metaphors, turns of phrase, and perspectives that make their writing distinctive.

Great writing doesn’t happen on the surface, where clichés and predictable phrases reside. To create something unique, a writer has to reach deeper. The process might be challenging, requiring emotional and intellectual effort, but the outcome is worth it. This is the beauty of good writing: it opens windows to worlds that readers may never have considered or understood.

Writing as Transformation

In the end, “holding your breath” to create something genuine is as transformative for the writer as it is for the reader. The process of diving into one’s thoughts and emotions forces writers to confront their truths, examine their beliefs, and ultimately understand themselves better. The stories that emerge from these depths often carry themes of redemption, growth, or revelation, and they change readers in similar ways. Just as a diver emerges with a newfound appreciation for the ocean’s wonders, both writers and readers come away from a piece of good writing with a greater understanding of the human experience.

Conclusion: Embracing the Depths

Fitzgerald’s metaphor is a reminder that writing, like swimming underwater, requires courage, endurance, and a willingness to face the unknown. Good writing isn’t effortless or shallow; it requires exploring and wrestling with ideas, emotions, and truths. The deeper a writer is willing to go, the more likely they are to create something lasting, something that breathes life into the reader’s imagination and touches their heart.

In the act of “holding one’s breath” and going deep, writers find the power to reveal something real. They capture the essence of what it means to be human, translating the chaos of thought and feeling into words that resonate. By choosing to write this way, a writer taps into their own courage, transforming their inner world into something that can speak to others. And for readers, those words offer an invitation to dive into new realms of understanding, a chance to “hold their breath” and explore the wonders of the written world.