Author Tim O’Brien says of writing fiction:
“The goal, I suppose, any fiction writer has, no matter what your subject, is to hit the human heart and the tear ducts and the nape of the neck and to make a person feel something about the characters are going through and to experience the moral paradoxes and struggles of being human.”
It’s a worthy goal for sure, but this means that as a writer you have to maintain a thin porous skin with the world, where the world can come at you, hurt you, cause you suffering even as it brings you joy and unfettered connection.
The world is so full of pain these days (has it ever been pain-free?) that it feels increasingly difficult not to harden your skin into a carapace, a defensive armor.
As I work on my new book which will be hopefully all fun and games, living is like surfing the waves of existence, careful not to topple into a sea of doldrums. If I fall into the cold dark waters, it takes a while to dry off and glow again in the sun. Sometimes, there’s a glimmer of positivity and light, like the one I wrote about here, but lately I sense more darkness than light.
Is it me, or does anyone else feel this general sense of anonymized pain, and an urge to retreat to green hills and silence?
What have you been up to in the past weeks? Does the world feel too much these days? Do you have any uplifting stories for me?
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Oh D, you said it! I just wrote something on similar lines. The world feels really overwhelming at the moment and I’m actually lost.
We all love to find more joy and peace every morning when we wake up, but most days, that’s not the way it is! I too sense more darkness than light around me; some days it’s like living in a dystopian world that you cannot switch out from. I find a lot of peace from meditation and reminding myself that the pain and the brutality is as much a part of the quiet and peace that the heart longs for. You cannot escape from it.
Meditation definitely helps, and so does getting outside and taking a breath of fresh air, of filling my lungs and head with something other than gloomy thoughts and growing cobwebs. It feels like putting on a clean pair of glasses and finally seeing through everything that clouds the vision. Of course, the lightness doesn’t last forever, but it’s a wonderful feeling nonetheless. I’m always grateful to be able to see something other than dystopia and pain.
I agree! Totally grateful for the little everyday joys that give us some respite from the pain.
We have to find joy every day and share it. If we don’t, the pain around us will drown us.
What have I been up to? I’ve created a BookTube channel, because I can, LOL, and I’ve cuddled with my Rottweilers whenever I got a chance.
Something uplifting? The winter cold has settled in and the sky is a marvellous blue, the kind of beauty in nature that we sometimes take for granted — this was my joyful moment this morning during my walk with my dogs.
That’s so lovely, Ronel! I’ve been seeing some gorgeous blue skies and stunning sunsets recently too, and they never fail to lift my spirits. Dogs are another great reminder of the love and beauty that can exist in the world. Congrats on the BookTube channel!
I am certainly feeling the pressure. There were two incidents for me in April where there was a real possibility of not making it home to my residence. Scary stuff. Thousands of years of my people under my feet, but unwelcome… sorry, don’t want to get “political” or anything.
“As full of spirit as the month of May, and as gorgeous as the sun in Midsummer.” – Shakespeare #quote
J Lenni Dorner
I’m so sorry that you had to go through that, and I hope everything works out for you. These are scary times, but I keep telling myself that I just have to continue trudging onwards, even if it feels like I’m slowly becoming submerged. Wishing you all the best, and to a better month than the last one.
As a typical Canadian, I find that the cause of a lot of our recent doldrums is Donald Trump.
It is a real thing here.
My friend’s nephew is off work on stress leave. He has two pre-school children and he fears for their future…
Oh dear, that’s such a scary situation. I worry for the future generations and the burdens that are already falling on their shoulders, what with all the problems that need fixing and ongoing conflicts which they will inherit.
Yea, it sometimes does as we hear the news and think of the tragedies mostly far away. Some days I limit how much news I read so I can keep a more positive balance. Sometimes we need to narrow our focus closer to home so we can restore ourselves,
I agree, I’m trying to stop scrolling through news feeds and the new updates on tragedy that I receive in my inbox on a daily basis. It’s good to be up to date on global news, but it’s getting to be too much. I know it’s weighing me down so, as you said, I’m working on bringing my focus closer to home.
Hi Damyanti – so much to rise above at the moment, also not to dwell on other things; I’m happy to be alive, and as old as I am, and to be here … challenging though it might be … I don’t dwell and get on with life, as best I can. Take care and I do hope that happy, positive book comes to the fore soon – just enjoy those happy moments – cheers Hilary
Thank you for your beautiful comment, Hilary. This new book is so different from my others, and I enjoy basking in the little bit of light and warmth that it gives me whenever I sit down to write.
I think a writer has to be observant – people show their pain in many ways and so the writer just has to recognize the signs. To be too empathetic in this world is to let it absorb you.
Absolutely, it’s so easy to become absorbed in the suffering and negativity all around, and to neglect the things which bring joy. I’m still learning how to draw a line between myself and my work, and to know when it’s necessary to step back and take a breath.
I’ll put it to you this way. Members of a poetry group I belong to have taken to writing dystopian and apocalyptic poetry these past several months, myself included. Can’t help it. That’s how we see the world we live in.
Writing is a good outlet and a way of reshaping the chaos of the world into something more palatable. So much of my writing was created in the hopes of making my thoughts less murky and my emotions easier to understand.
My sentiments exactly!
I do feel more pain. With and for the world.
It’s almost impossible not to.
I feel the same as Jacqui (although fortunate not to disown or be disowned by family.) Things are on the right track here. For all else, I just turn to God as He can handle it.
That’s wonderful, Alex! I’m so glad to hear that things are going well for you.
The world is a disaster on every corner, and I will never understand why people vote for obvious dictators – they’ll never GET anything from such a leader (and are deluded if they think they will), yet consistently vote AGAINST their own best interests.
All progress comes from liberal values. Worth repeating: conservative values only enrich those already in them (and even there, constant infighting is the rule). Happy people help each other, want everyone to have a good education and access to healthcare and jobs – but there is a mean streak in humanity, and a greedy corrupt one, and no satisfying those who have them. It is exhausting!
Nature and life are tough – we have plenty of REAL problems to solve with and for each other – instead of fighting over who is going to get the best parking spot because they’re special.
It is exhausting, I can fully relate to that feeling of being weighed down by the corruption and constant conflict that occurs on a daily basis. It seems as though I receive a notification of some new version of destruction or cause for concern every few hours, and checking my phone is like walking through a minefield. World peace feels like a distant dream. But I’m trying not to let my hope dwindle too low.
I have often felt the world is much darker now, but then I wonder: Is it darker or does it feel that way because I am older? I remember as a child seeing the images of the Vietnam war on TV but not feeling like the world around me was a horrible place. Now at 60, I see images of war-torn places and feel our world is going to hell. I’m not so sure that things are worse now, but I know the conversations around me all are full of troubles. Because I feel downtrodden by this, I made some changes in my life. I limit how much news I listen to and switched writing mysteries and thrillers to writing romance instead. Where I used to quote dark sayings on graphics I created, I now choose inspiring ones. I may not make a difference in the world, but I can hopefully improve someone else’s mindset and feelings. You too, as a writer, have that power. Use it wisely.
Thank you for the reminder. As a writer, I know I have responsibility over what I put into the world and its potential to affect my readers, and I hope the book I’m currently working on is a source of light and fun, just as it has been to me. Being able to improve someone else’s mindset and feelings is such a worthwhile undertaking, and even lifting the spirits of one person is a reward in itself. I love the euphoria and joy that a good book can bring me, allowing me to escape the world and its burdens for just a moment, before I have to come back to reality. I wish I had the answer to your question. I’ve been asking myself the same thing recently and I think that I’ve definitely become more cynical and less hopeful as the years have passed. That may change in a few more years — and perhaps the world will start looking a little brighter.
I am happy to say I don’t feel that way, no worse than ever. I have shed negative people from my life, encouraged the positive ones, avoided obligations I didn’t agree with–all is working! I know you’ll find your way out.
That’s wonderful to hear, Jacqui! And thank you for the kindness and reassurance.