Writing As Therapy
Lately, I've been going through a difficult time - emotionally, that is.
Things are going well in my life. I bought a house, my book is being released next year, there's been significant strides in my overall writing career, I'm taking better care of my body and exercising...
But mental illness doesn't care. Depression and anxiety often come out of the blue.
Because I'm an over-thinker, I've been thinking about my relationship with mental illness and also my relationship with writing. And I've realized they're intertwined.
I use my writing as therapy. I'm sure other writers can attest to that, too.
When you're writing, the real world fades away. It's just you and the blank page with an infinite amount of possibilities. You're in complete control over your characters, world-building, dialogue, and more...
And we just don't have that kind of power in real life. No, real life is restrictive, oppressive, maddening, and out of control. Compared to fiction, reality sucks.
But that's the way life is, and we need to learn how to deal with it - and writers have found a way. They've had it for centuries.
Writing is therapy because it allows you to get your feelings down on the page on your own terms. I wrote a children's novel last year called THE GIFT GIVER. I didn't realize it at the time, but when I looked back, it was a novel about grief and moving on - how goodbye is the most difficult word.
I didn't know I needed to write it, but I did. My subconscious mind took over, letting me express my personal grief through fictional characters. I found the words I couldn't bring myself to say. Somehow, that experience was exactly what I needed.
I think writing is the best therapy - for everyone, not just aspiring authors - because it's about freedom. You can write about anything you want, at your own pace. And you can use it to overcome the darker, more uncomfortable parts of life. The parts no one wants to talk about.
So I'll keep using writing to work through my pain - because that's what great writing is about. Think back to some of the most clever, wonderful stories you've ever heard. I guarantee they're linked by a similar string of heavy emotions: grief, heartbreak, loss, sadness, inner demons...
All the things we go to therapy for.
Writing is an outlet, one I'm grateful to have. In the meantime, I'll continue to breathe life into my characters...
And in return, they'll help me with whatever I'm struggling with.
A fair exchange, I think.
As always, thanks for reading - and here's to recovery through artistic expression.
Sincerely,
Dana
Things are going well in my life. I bought a house, my book is being released next year, there's been significant strides in my overall writing career, I'm taking better care of my body and exercising...
But mental illness doesn't care. Depression and anxiety often come out of the blue.
Because I'm an over-thinker, I've been thinking about my relationship with mental illness and also my relationship with writing. And I've realized they're intertwined.
I use my writing as therapy. I'm sure other writers can attest to that, too.
When you're writing, the real world fades away. It's just you and the blank page with an infinite amount of possibilities. You're in complete control over your characters, world-building, dialogue, and more...
And we just don't have that kind of power in real life. No, real life is restrictive, oppressive, maddening, and out of control. Compared to fiction, reality sucks.
But that's the way life is, and we need to learn how to deal with it - and writers have found a way. They've had it for centuries.
Writing is therapy because it allows you to get your feelings down on the page on your own terms. I wrote a children's novel last year called THE GIFT GIVER. I didn't realize it at the time, but when I looked back, it was a novel about grief and moving on - how goodbye is the most difficult word.
I didn't know I needed to write it, but I did. My subconscious mind took over, letting me express my personal grief through fictional characters. I found the words I couldn't bring myself to say. Somehow, that experience was exactly what I needed.
I think writing is the best therapy - for everyone, not just aspiring authors - because it's about freedom. You can write about anything you want, at your own pace. And you can use it to overcome the darker, more uncomfortable parts of life. The parts no one wants to talk about.
So I'll keep using writing to work through my pain - because that's what great writing is about. Think back to some of the most clever, wonderful stories you've ever heard. I guarantee they're linked by a similar string of heavy emotions: grief, heartbreak, loss, sadness, inner demons...
All the things we go to therapy for.
Writing is an outlet, one I'm grateful to have. In the meantime, I'll continue to breathe life into my characters...
And in return, they'll help me with whatever I'm struggling with.
A fair exchange, I think.
As always, thanks for reading - and here's to recovery through artistic expression.
Sincerely,
Dana
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