Authors have a reputation for being moody. In fact, all artists are seen as very emotional humans. Certainly, writers – at least writers of fiction – need to be in touch with their emotions to create real, believable characters.
What is sad is when authors allow their emotions to overcome their productivity. It is one thing to be emotional, and quite another when they are so far gone they can’t write.
I have just recovered from a bout of depression. Many writers face the same thing. For one thing, many writers are not social creatures by nature. This makes it hard for these writers to be around the very people who would love them, support them and make them smile.
Of course, there are great numbers of writers who never face this problem. Unfortunately, I am not one of them.
I want to be productive as much as possible, so I will share with you my techniques for breaking the depression and getting back to writing.
Stick With Positive People
No matter how difficult it may seem when I am in the throes of melancholy, I make the effort to spend time with friends and family who are positive and supportive. If not all of the time, at least as much as I can. It seems obvious that negative people will bring me down further into sadness. Yet, when it is going on, sometimes, I just want to wallow in it. There it is. I admit it. But, I make an intellectual choice to ignore this desire and do the things that will help me get back to my computer to write.
Fake It
In Loving the Missing Link, there is a strong character who tells my protagonist, “Laugh.”
Cheryl says, “I can’t laugh. That’s ridiculous. Laughing happens when it happens, you can’t force it.”
I’m here to tell you that you certainly can laugh, smile, and talk and think about positive things even when you are feeling down. If you are feeling this way, try it. Have you ever gone to a party you didn’t want to go to because you were too upset? This is what happens to me sometimes: To be polite, I join in the conversations and try not to bring anybody down. I laugh when someone tells a joke I know is funny and I smile graciously to let people know I appreciate being included. As the party goes on, I begin to start enjoying myself. It seems like an absolute miracle!
Think About the Good Things in My Life
This time it was easier. I knew I had done a great job on my first book, and was getting a lot of encouraging feedback about it. A journalist from my hometown paper had done me the honor of requesting a copy of my book, my bio, and my picture for a feature in their local paper. Positive things were happening, and, although my mood was low, I couldn’t help recognizing that things were really going well, even if I didn’t feel that way. I have to be patient, because sometimes it takes awhile before I start feeling the change, but slowly, it did happen.
When All Else Fails, Seek Help
Many people, writers included, feel that taking an antidepressant or visiting a counselor will stifle their creativity. But let me ask you one thing: If you are so depressed that you can’t get out of bed, are you going to be creative? Productive? Probably not. So, I do what I have to do until we break the back of the depression. This time, it only took three weeks. I think it was mainly because I saw my productivity and the quality of my work slipping away, and I went to my doctor as quickly as possible. That was what finally banished my depression completely. If I had it to do over, I would do it in a heartbeat.
For me, it is much too easy to tell myself it’s OK to be moody. There have been so many great artists who have struggled with this problem. And I do believe most of them fought the good fight as well as they could. After all, if they had been too deeply depressed to produce, they would have been devastated. And most writers I know can’t abide not writing for long.
So, if your emotions have gotten the better of you, make a plan. Then, have the discipline to carry it out. You can do it. I know you can.
lovingthemissinglink 