Welcome to the April 2022 installment of the Insecure Writers Support Group...
Does your mood affect your writing? I definitely have to be in the mood to write. Usually, I complain about not having enough time to write. But over spring break, I was blessed with some extra time, and I just wasn't in the mood... I am stuck in the editing of two novels. I have glimpses of new ideas, but I hate not finishing what I've started. If I was working on these WIPs, I'd have no trouble taking a break to write some new stuff, but my writing inspiration has left me.
Way back when, I was writing for myself. Then I made a goal to get published. Now I wanted to inspire kids, especially boys like my own, to read more and spread a positive message.
Lately, everything has changed, as the world tends to do. My boys are grown (still not readers, taking after their father) and though I had a small audience and felt like I inspired some reader fans, I started to lose motivation when my publisher winked out of existence. Then Disney stole my Beast World setting along with my desire to keep going with that series. And finally, the isolation and harsh political undertones everywhere have made me wary to write anything that might offend someone. At this point, I don't see the upside of writing.
But don't feel sorry for me! I'm merely at a juncture. I still want to share stories and inspire others, I just need to figure out how. So whether I gumption up and write, or go out and speak, or try my hand at producing something, I'm still hopeful! God will guide me and help me keep my chin up.
I hope you are in a good place or will soon be! Keep writing and having faith!
Bad times can't last forever, though they may seem to...
and sometimes we can find some big inspiration from them!
Just like the saying goes, April Showers Bring May Flowers!
9 comments:
Amen to all of it. I "hit the wall" so to speak, trying to be a pro at the writing thing. I had so much more fun and success when I was writing for fun. But at some point, I told myself I needed to take it seriously to justify the time and energy spent on it. That killed the joy. Add in the political climate and I'd rather spend my days scrubbing toilets. But then I decided that I would do it for fun. And since I'm tired of being preached to by people who should be more worried about entertaining me than influencing me, I'm happily avoiding politics too.
Life is more peaceful when it's simpler.
Hugs! You're a talented lady! Hang in there!
Hi Tara
The harsh political undertones everywhere is nightmarish.
Hope you get your mojo back... soon!
Happy IWSG Day!
You said it. The world has changed and not for the better.
Just go back to writing for you and not worry about others. Find the fun in it again.
Hi Tara, my mood does affect my writing big time. But I try to keep writing inspite of all the moods I undergo.
Mood and stress do me in, especially with the world in such a mess right now.
I took a long break from writing a few years ago. I had run out of purpose. I decided I'd write for myself alone and not submit anything. Then 2020 came around and the fear and changes made me reconsider what it all meant to me. I decided on a path, found encouragement in my daughter--she told me every story deserves to be told. And I hold that in my heart. I got one (maybe two) publishing contracts this year. A book coming out the end of this month. Yikes! Let the chips fall where they may. I hope you find your mojo, and if you don't. That's okay too. We all have to find our own path.
And my boys only read manga. I don't write manga. lol
May is around the corner. I hope you see many flowers!
You accurately describe what I've felt for the past 3 years. When I had plenty of time to write, the energy wasn't there--too much worry about Hubs' illness, then covid, then politics, then war in the Ukraine, then . . . There will always be something to worry about that distracts us from writing. Putting that aside and just write is easy to say. I'm slowly coming out of the doldrums. Spring is almost here. New life, the world is starting over. So can we.
I'm almost always in a mood to write when I sit down in front of the computer. Unfortunately, I've been finding reasons not to sit down in front of the computer lately. Hope you get your groove back soon.
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