How emotions play roles in your writing
Most of the writing I have read mentions how emotions help to create believable characters for your fiction or memoir. Yet there are no articles that focus on the writer’s emotions and how it influences the writing process. This article is written for you, the new writer. Did you have the day where you were so fired up to write your creative writing or any type of writing? You can’t wait to get started and your ideas just flow like water. What kinds of emotions do you have when you are motivated to write? Do you feel happy, sad or angry? Then, there was the day when you just don’t feel like writing? You tried to coax yourself to start your writing yet, you just stared at an empty screen or a blank piece of paper for a long time. Again, when you have this moment, what emotions do you experience? Do you feel bored?
“I don’t feel like writing today.” I heard myself saying that a thousand times. I heard it again when I started to write for my blog in the first month. When I said it, I felt exhausted, frustrated and angry. I had been very busy with my handmade bags and accessories business – designing and fulfilled custom orders at the same time that when I am ready to start to write, I have no energy left. During the day job, I channeled my creativity into designing new purses and I didn’t like the way the design turned out. I need to refine the design yet the day is over. I can only start the next day. I went home frustrated and wished there were more time in a day for me to continue. At night, I just couldn’t bring myself to start with my writing. My mind still stuck with the bad design of the day.
Then on another day, I can’t wait to get up early in the morning and switch on the computer and start tapping on the keyboard. I can write a short article within an hour. At this stage, my emotion is happy and excited. I feel so energetic.
As a new writer and just trying to write without deadlines, your writing is influence mostly by your emotions or how you feel on that day. You will write when you feel like it and don’t if you are not into it. However, a professional writer will never let their emotional state get in the way of their writing. They will stick to their writing schedule and will write no matter how they feel. Writing is just like any other job. It is a hard work.
So, how do you deal with the fluctuation of your emotions that influences your writing? Here is some advice to help you to manage your emotions or your feelings to prevent it from interfering with your writing process:
1. Set a deadline for your writing and stick with it. If you set a deadline, chances are you will force yourself to write no matter how you feel that day. I set my blog to get me into a writing mood no matter how I feel that day. I owe it to myself to write everyday as I have already set the reason to have a blog. You can set your own blog to get you into writing.
2. If you plan to publish in the near future, you better get ready with all the hard work. To be a successful writer, writing everyday is a must and a discipline that necessary to complete your writing. I love writing as much I love my handmade creations business. Both use my highly creative skills and talents to complete the job. I plan to write every day so I can get all my ideas ready for future publication. I am looking forward for the moment and I am willing to do all the hard work from now on to achieve this reward.
3. Read, read and read. This is a must for a writer. You need to nourish your mind with books you love to read so you can write more. I read ‘how to’ books, novels as well as magazines and newspapers. It is a continuous process and the more you read the more you are able to pen down and express your ideas.
4. Keep a diary or journal. Other than recording your observations, record how you feel everyday. Reading your journal will help you to understand that how you feel has nothing to do with your writing. You need to write despite of not feeling like writing.
5. Shorten your time to write - but do write. When I don’t feel like writing, I will continue to write, but I will write something I like to write, not the topic I have already scheduled to write about that day. I will be flexible, yet I still need to complete at least one article or essay for the day.
Managing your negative emotions so that it will not get in a way to your writing is one of the keys to being a successful writer. Regardless of how you feel for the day, you need to continue writing and do it everyday until the writing task is complete.
In conclusion, if writing was easy, everybody would be a successful writer. The writing process requires a high level of concentration, discipline and dedication. You need to learn to ignore how you feel or what emotions you feel the moment you get to work on your writing. If you try the advice above and have the discipline to write everyday, I will guarantee you will become the writer you want in no time.
