How Life Intersects with Writing

This is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog-hop, designed to help encourage authors and foster discussions about writing topics across the internet and the world. This month’s question is “How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?”

Most of the time, life affects my writing by overturning my scheduling and making it so writing doesn’t happen (like last month, when I had so much work to do, I didn’t even get to write a blog post). Thankfully, my work involves the world of writing, as I get to coach authors and edit manuscripts, but it can still be a challenge as it reminds me regularly that I’m not getting to my own work.

When I do get to write, I’m reminded how much it helps me. I’m a happier, better person when I get to write, and here are a few reasons why:

• Creative Energy. Creativity seems to often be one of those thing that multiplies through use. I feel ready to tackle the day and whatever challenges the day might bring when I’ve already solved a few writing problems on a page.
• A Sense of Accomplishment. If I write first thing (or close to first thing), I start the day feeling like I’ve already done something. It might be un-done tomorrow when I tweak the scene I just wrote, but it’s “in the books.” It’s on the record and it’s one step closer to completion. That feels great!
• A Greater Joy in Life.It can sometimes be hard for me to enjoy life when most of me is longing to be sitting at my computer, writing. But when I feel that that part of my life is being taken care of, I can put my imagination on hold and interact with other areas, stashing my ideas away to be used the next time I write (this is why writing everyday works so well for me).
• Freedom from Guilt. Now, this one has to be handled carefully, because too much writing can result in a different kind of guilt, where I feel bad because of all the other things in life I’m not doing (laundry, anyone?). But when I don’t write, I feel guilty, like I’m letting my characters down by not sharing their story, by not even trying to bring them to life. When I write, even when it’s just a small section of writing, I feel good, knowing I’m doing “what I need to.”

So there you have it. Four reasons why I strongly encourage authors to write. Even if what you’re working on never gets published—even if it never makes you a dime—you have four areas in life that will likely improve, just by your writing.

Happy writing!

Copyright 2018 Andrea Lundgren