Wednesday, 04 March 2009

Writing

This year, I have not been writing half as much as I expected to be. In the last couple of days it's begun to pick up again, and I've been thinking about why I stopped, and why I started again.

Stress is certainly one reason I stopped. There have been a lot of major changes in my life this year and it's taken a while to even begin to get used to them. When I'm stressed, my mind tends to be wrapped up in the immediate stress, which is not inducive to creative writing. I think stress inhibits creativity.

Busyness has also played a role. I'm quite amazed at how much I'm doing, considering that I'm doing 'nothing' this year! All the little things add up, I suppose. It just takes a new mindset to get things done, since the way my time is structured (or not structured) is very different.

Around the end of last year there was a lot of cynicism going around a writing forum I was very involved in. I consciously decided to stay away from that discussion, but I think it also affected my desire to contribute anything to that environment. I think that attitude has died down by now, and I've just recently been exposed to a couple of different attitudes to writing.

Hopefully, all of that means that I'll be scribbling away (figuratively speaking) for the rest of the year.

2 comments:

  1. (Not really anonymous - just can never get that wretched Google Identity thingie to work for me!)

    CatBar said...


    As you say, stress most DEFINATELY does inhibit creativity! That's why I'm not a prolific creative myself. I adore fiction writing but can only produce amall bits in between all the Stress bouts.

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  2. We should learn stress management along with creative writing, I think. Writing is a wonderful de-stressor, if one gets to a place where it seems possible!

    Thanks for stopping by, here, by the way.

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