#writing #writingprocess

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On Writing and Depression from Leonard Cohen

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I speak of a clinical depression that is the background of your entire life, a background of anguish and anxiety, a sense that nothing goes well, that pleasure is unavailable and all your strategies collapse. –Leonard Cohen

This quote from Leonard Cohen certainly mirrors my own feelings from time to time, especially about writing. The world often seems chaotic these days. So how do you write through it?

A writer can feel stuck when depressed. Being on a roll and suddenly having the creative juices dry up is something all creative people experience. Watching your process slowly break down until you are at a standstill. Staring at the blank page. You try to write your way out of it, but you hate every word. It connects to a larger phenomenon of lacking ideas or any endeavor that requires creativity.

Stephen King advises the “write yourself out of it” approach. Many writers believe the words we put down are indeed worthless and not worth the time. They fear ruining the piece. But the reality is sometimes we just need to write through the dry periods. Like athletes doing practice drills, we just have to keep at it until the good material comes back. If we don’t keep writing, we won’t be at our computers when the good stuff comes.

While much of writer’s block is steeped in depression, there are all sorts of other challenges that impact writing as well. Physical health, mental health, and emotional health can affect performance across. If you are struggling with depression, you might still be able to write like always, just as people with depression can joke with their friends or go through the motions at writing even though they are struggling inside.

Leonard Cohen, who suffered from depression, was certainly a model for “writing through it.” He was in the middle of composing a poem when he died. I like to think of that when I get discouraged with my writing.

I will be blogging on Thursdays. Follow me here.

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Spring Renewal and the Writer

Around this time last Spring, I was looking at signs of renewal and planting herbs and vegetables at my New England home.

This renewal follows me into my writing study where I sit at a big desk. The steadiness of the land and muted tones of the spring exude a calmness. I am ready to sit down and write.

I spent this winter, and many past winters, in different parts of Central America: Costa Rica, Cuba, Nicaragua, Mexico and Panama. This is a type of infusion of new experiences, different language, cultures, and places. The sun is bright and the colors are bold. In Costa Rica, I have a big porch that faces the mountains and I write outside.

So this Spring I strive to combine both my worlds, the stimulation of the sights and colors of Central America, with the slow, steady unfurling of Spring in the Northeast. It’s good to add new experiences to the consistency of my writing process. How do you stimulate your writing process?

I will be writing on Thursdays and posting literary events on that day. Follow me here at WordPress.

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Incentives for Writing

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Whether you’re been writing for a long or short period of time, we sometimes need motivation to write. I’ve been writing since I was eight years old, but I sometimes get discouraged and lose motivation too.

Blogging is something that motivates my writing. It’s instant gratification. You write and publish instantly, and often get feedback very quickly. And if you have a fair amount of followers, all the better. You don’t have to wait months to hear from a publisher, magazine or journal. It’s out there for everyone to read.

A routine can be an incentive also. I usually write, depending on my appointments that day, right after breakfast. I associate that cereal, fruit and tea with writing and sometimes even start the process while I’m eating. I start thinking about what I’ll be writing after I finish. Writing after breakfast will also give you energy and prevent you from getting sluggish.

Another way to motivate is through social media. I know most of us think of social media as a time waster, but try using it. When you run out of steam with your writing, take a social media break. Look at Facebook or Instagram. I know many people think of it as a time waster, but look at the ideas of other people. You can even use some of the dialog in your writing. If you are on with other writers, you may get incentive from them and their process.

Try reading. I spend a good deal of my non-writing time reading. I’m a poet, so I often read new poets or my favorites. If I’m stuck on a problem, like how to write a particular form, like a Quatern, I’ll read other poets in this form and see how they have handled this. I’ll read novels just for the use of language in certain ways. It’s also just a pleasure for me to read good literature. Sometimes I read my friends most recent books and review them on social media.

I will be blogging on Thursdays about the writing process. Follow me here on WordPress.

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Thank You to the Massachusetts State Poetry Society for my Recent Awards from the National Poetry Day Contest

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I am grateful to the Massachusetts State Poetry Society for two awards in their National Poetry Day Contest:

My poem “Fairy Tale of Eternal Economic Growth” was awarded third prize by the Amy L. Dengler Award.

My poem “On Listening to Stravinsky’s Pulcinella” was awarded third prize by the Celebration of Life Award.

I’ll be blogging on Thursdays. Follow me here on WordPress.

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Why We Need Literature

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Literature is important. In this materialistic era, where the pursuit of money often comes before the public welfare, literature becomes even more important than ever.

Not having literature prevalent in American schools has caused a deficit in education. Dana Gioia states “.. A time of crucial intellectual and emotional development bypass the joys and challenges of literature is a troubling trend.”

At a time when businesses are claiming they can’t find employees who are able to expand their minds to different horizons. They want employees to think out of the box. An education with a wide range of world literature is essential to doing this. Reading literature in childhood, and becoming lifelong readers is essential for broadening the mind.

I will continue to blog on Thursdays, with announcements on Tuesdays as they come along. Follow me here on WordPress.

https://www.eileenpkennedy.com