Sep 24 2008
Misery doesn’t want company
I was talking to a friend yesterday about writing. He said he can only write when he is miserable. And though writing helps him to get his thoughts out of his head and work through his feelings, the misery pulls him in and it’s hard for him to get out. It’s hard for him to get out of that fake reality that the misery creates. And then once he gets into that mindset, he tends to shut others out.
I know exactly how he feels. I am pretty much the same way. I have to be sad or depressed to write my songs or poems. It’s like…you have to write to get the thoughts and feelings out of inside and onto paper, and out of your head but while you’re doing that, you have to re-live all of those thoughts. That can make someone even more depressed or sad. In the long run, in my opinion, it’s better to get all of that out while you can than to push it deep down inside. It hurts temporarily to go through the feelings you have been pushing down, but working through those thoughts and feelings will keep your mind clear for happier memories and thoughts.
I say if you feel the need to write, then write. Doesn’t matter what it’s about. Just get it out, and once it’s down on paper (or in a blog via the internet), then leave it there, and move on. There is healing in writing.
I tend to write more to get OUT of a funk, or because I am feeling particularly good and motivated to write. Even my sad poems turn out strong at the end, either because I find a way to deal with the sadness or the problem, or because I decide to go on and keep trying.
But I can’t write my novel if I’m upset or depressed…nothing comes out, and that just puts me in a worse mood.