I have a constant dilemma. Writing makes me feel better about things each day, I usually write song lyrics if they come to me or short fiction. But if the situation is so bad, sometimes I just can't bear to write because I don't want writing itself to become a negative experience. So I wait until I feel ready to write, but often I feel like I'm forcing and faking the pain and scars when I do that, as I'm not really feeling them at the time. I'm too scared to revisit some dark places in my mind to make the writing genuine, the current situation: just yesterday, after being in love for six years (which is a third of my life!), my relationship came to an end... it seems. I'm FAR too scared to emotionally backtrack now through the processes, as we've been working hard to view it positively. I don't want to miss the opportunity however, to turn this into a positive, productive artistic experience that could mean something to someone else in the world! I'm trying to be very cautious, and mindful of my feelings, it's a delicate situation does anyone have any methods of making negative emotion retrieval easier or less dangerous? or is there a perfect time in these situation where you find a balance of productivity and staying safe emotionally? any insight would be great, thanks in advance
Don't try to make it easier. Don't downplay it at all but try to translate those emotions onto the page exactly how you feel them. Your writing will be that much more powerful and genuine as a result.
How 'bout turning your focus away from yourself and write a few 3rd person POV stories. Then you can bust-up those things that bring back the pain and spread them out over a number of characters. Besides, it's not healthy dwelling on your own problems for too long. Perhaps you can open up your horizons a bit and apply your particular insight onto the problems of the day or something.
All writing is, to an extent, autobiographical. You just had a charged emotional experience? Good! Write a poem, story, song about it. It will be that much more authentic, and that much relatable. Sometimes what hurts us the most makes for the best art. Spill your soul onto the page.
I'd say, make sure that you keep writing, but without forcing yourself to write specifically and consciously about this. I say this because when you look back at that writing some months later, I'd bet that you'll find that the experience has been reflected in the writing. It might not be the parts that you expected to see, but I predict that it will be there. As an kindasorta example, I've been "writing about" my dysfunctional mother for some time now. In some cases I was aware of it - I've written pieces about dysfunctional women that are pretty obviously influenced by her, though because I wasn't trying to make them "about" her, I didn't feel any need to make them an accurate reflection of her. But beyond the obvious, I'm betting that much of my other writing is also about Mom. For example, there's that cat in Bitter Oranges. He's lonely, angry, bitter, fundamentally selfish, seeking comfort wherever he can find it, and he actively thwarts those that try to comfort and help him. But he finds a way to overcome his nature, make a (tenuous) bond with another creature, and find some happiness. That's what I would have hoped for, for Mom, a hoped-for ending that never happened. Almost a year after Mom's death, I'm finally doing some writing that's consciously about her. But I wish that I'd forced myself to do more writing, in general, during the time that I was dealing with the last years of her life, because I'd probably have things to learn from those writings. So. Just write. Don't force the topic.
thank you all, so much it seems like a really good idea to project it onto other characters for my songs, and writing without a specific topic and I guess now is the time to be brave and start getting the raw stuff out as well
. Of course you're scared - you're eighteen years old and your life is just beginning. Translate what you feel into blues music - that's where you can get some genuine and original feeling: Woke up one morning And it was pissing down Thought I'd get my breakfast but the wife had left town Opened up the fridge door went to get some bread tripped over some fat lump there's the dog laid dead Don't wallow - get creative.
yeah man I'm digging that so original blues - might be onto something good though as it would be an easy way to get some feelings out compared to my other style which is complex, theatrical, gothy kinds of rock and punk cheers for the idea
Nope, the only way is to bear your guts on paper, and sob for hours while you are doing it. Wen you started the post, I assumed you were talking about some horrific experiences some people have misfortune to have to live through. Breaking up with a boyfriend is a relatively minor thing, in the grand scheme of adult pain. So don't shy away from it, embrace it, suffer for your art. It is the only way to catharsis and to good art. And to adulthood.
