I keep trying.
Oh, right. Intro. It's been so long I forget how we do this. It's first Wednesday which means it is the monthly Insecure Writer's Support Group meeting. Hi, I'm Hart. [Hi Hart]. And I'm supposedly a writer.
The political scene is a disaster. Not to get political, (but I am—highlight if you want to see, if you like the current administration, you probably don't) but I feel fairly strongly we've had cruel presidents and idiot presidents but this is the first time we've had a cruel idiot president.
But right now the Pacific Northwest, including the Idaho Panhandle where I grew up and Oregon where my heart will always be, is on fire. Dozens of friends share daily about the poor air quality. People are trapped because roads are blocked. Thousands of acres including the Columbia River Gorge—my favorite place on the planet—are burning.
Texas underwater. Thousands left homeless. And friends in the path of Irma.
Money trouble from paying tuition and failing on one of my financial aid forms (so not getting the loan I intended). I suppose I will be glad in 3 years for this year I didn't borrow, but right now it's a major stressor.
How does a person even try to be creative?
I used to write dark stuff to keep life from going in dark directions—an outlet, if you will. But life went dark anyway. So maybe I should take up romantic comedy (yeahno). Satire? To do that, I'd have to find some of this funny. Sci Fi might work. Except it all looks realistic from here.
What do all of you do to find the creativity when it has been obscured?
15 comments:
Maybe it is time to write some light stuff. We certainly need it now.
Sometimes writing helps me through the dark times - writing with no pressure OR writing toward a contest deadline (gives me something to aim for, focus on.) Other times, though, I turn to reading or TV or movies or art, something to feed a different part of my spirit and creativity, the part that's hurting, that needs a little more comfort. Hang in there, Hart!
I have been struggling with that, too. The smoke is oppressive.
Go for satire!
Find a small light in a hidden corner - a weedy dandelion defiantly poking it's head out of the ash. Maybe that's what we need right now.
Set it in space. That's all fantasy and science fiction are - our way of dealing with reality in a safe environment.
Hopefully you can come up with something to offset all this darkness if you dig deep. For me, writing's always my way of making sense of the world around me. The more creativity and light, the better.
I get so distracted by what's going on in the world, but it's because it's all so...fascinating (?) or interesting or something. I don't think the creativity leaves, but the drive wanes as we watch and wait to see what the hell is going to happen next. Perhaps it would be better to ignore it all and just write. Yeah, right!
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
All my short fiction revolves around somewhat somehow getting what they truly deserve, as in well-earned retribution for dastardly deeds. I find that very therapeutic. Maybe done out some vengeance on the page?
Part of the problem is that there are so many cruel idiots support the cruel Idiot-in-Chief.
Part of how I deal with all of this IS to write. Granted, it's slower going than it used to be because there are so many... distractions. ALL THE TIME. But it helps.
Especially the "Day One" story I'm doing on my blog.
I did two things to let go of politics. One, I chose not to vote for a lesser of two equally evil evils. I threw my vote away and got the joy of having NO ownership in this election result. None of it is my fault. I voted for real change instead of the political party-selected candidates.
I then wrote a political satire from a libertarian point of view, poking fun at all sides of the political bubble wars. Nobody is reading it, but that's fine. Some day, when the furor dies down, when both Democrats and Republicans decide to wash the food fight off their faces, someone will discover it and go "Is that what we did wrong?" And I still will not have given into the darkness that surrounds me. I went back to writing apocalyptic and high fantasy and working on a literary fiction WIP and my life has not been upended in the least by the national stupidity.
After 9 months of not writing, I finally started writing last month but then a lot of crap was thrown at me. *sigh* I wish things would get better for all of us. We sure have to quiet and forget the world in order to write.
Sadly, my creativity comes in spurts and too often burns out before I put the finishing touches on even a short story. Which is why I like prompt-writing with deadlines to post/submit. Very short term goals.
There is so much tragedy in the world today. I stay away from the news, the feel guilty for not being informed. A useless cycle :(
First off, welcome back Hart darling! I know only too well how stressful money problems and political idiocy can be, so my heart goes out to you. Might I suggest a bottle of pinot noir while binging on a marathon of comedy shows/movies?
My own personal stress is only now ebbing because I FINALLY, as of this week, got my two Charity MacCay novels not only into print but onto Amazon. Of course I have zilch for a marketing plan, but why stress out about that?
Excuse me while I go get some more drinking and writing done... (hiccup).
Yeah. 2017 is off to a super duper craptacular start. It does sap the creative energies, doesn't it. I've insulated myself to a certain degree by turning my back on my television. If something truly significant happens in the world (floods, fires, earthquakes, murderous white supremacists, nuclear missiles being waved around by tiny men trying to prove how big they are), my spouse and my colleagues will share the news with me. There are days when I feel guilty for tuning the world out, but if I don't, I completely lock up. I also practice deep breathing exercises during the day, which sounds new-age hippy-dippy and stupid, but it really does help me stay calm and positive and present in my life. Best of luck to you as you endeavor to write in this time of "Oh My God What The Hell Is Happening Right Now?!" Remember that the act of creativity itself makes the world a better place, so keep writing. Keep being a creative force. Thanks for sharing your post. :)
We certainly need it now.
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Hi, Hart,
I know how you feel. Life is a real bitch right now, in more ways than one. I've not written a decent things since the publication of The Snowman, and it looks like it'll be awhile longer before my muse has clearance for even a try. I'm lost as to what to post for my entry this week for Parallels???
Keep the faith, it can't get any worse - can it?
Sending good vibes your way!
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