(no subject)

[museaway]

I've asked this on bluesky before, but this is probably a better place for the conversation. Why do you write? How do you keep creating in the face of things like depression, grief, disaster, global chaos? What keeps you coming back to it? What goals, if any, do you have for your own creativity?

Comments

[nicky_gabriel]

Why do you write?
Right now – in this moment in my life – writing is kind of a therapy for me. I always wanted to tell stories, and I wanted others to be equally excited about them as I am/was. But I realized that what I like is not necessarily what others also like and I had to come to terms with this ‘discovery’ somehow :)
Then I had a break in writing for about 10 years, for reasons, and I haven’t written even one line for this entire time. After this time I discovered that keeping all these stories inside my/my head are not good for me, because while writing them I deal with my own emotions, fears, hopes and stuff like that.
So, I chose the only story/TV show that never failed me, that never disappointed me and that all plot moments/characters/relationships were ones that I could totally agree with internally and this universe became my way of dealing with what is happening in my life. I started to write what I would love to read, without sharing these with others, so I would stay uninfluenced by opinions, and somehow it turned out so ‘freeing’ experience that I continue it for almost two years now.
I write, because I can’t imagine my life without writing or enjoying/sharing my characters’ life during this process.

How do you keep creating in the face of things like depression, grief, disaster, global chaos?
My stories are for me one of many safe places – but contrary to the ‘real life’ ones, my stories are where I make the rules and where I can have all the happy endings that I could ever imagine. Always.

What keeps you coming back to it?
The characters and their relationships. I love their relationships and that they let me share their journeys with each other.
Strangely enough, since I’m writing ‘just for myself’ and ‘self-indulgent’ I realized that it’s easier to make some decisions in RL that I would hesitate earlier to make, and it’s just because I have ‘thought them over’ from every angle with my characters in my stories. I’m more aware of the consequences and reasons why something is happening and it’s easier to make any choice – where before I would just freeze or postpone it for ages. In my stories I have time – there is no rush, I can re-visit a scene after many months and re-discover a different perspective and a different answer to what they need (as I don’t publish it, it’s no problem to change some sentences, choices, or even entire plotlines).

What goals, if any, do you have for your own creativity?
Still enjoying the process. I discovered that for me it’s not the ending that counts. I rarely finish something; my stories are usually endless. It’s the writing process that makes me most happy and fulfilled. This is why I love editing and listening to my computer reading my stories for me (this is where I can spot/hear the typos and most frequently repeated words/expressions). I prefer real people reading my fics for me, of course, but it rarely happens :)
And I would like to improve my English, so my stories are easier to read/understand.

[blackiceboba]

I've answered this before on bsky as well, but for me. . .I have to carry on living my life regardless of The Horrors. And writing is as much a part of living my life as going to work or paying bills. But I am trying to be. . .easier on myself when I do get overwhelmed and don't put out as much or don't feel as productive. If I don't feel like writing then. . .I don't. And I've noticed that stories that I'd tried to force out and gave up on, I've managed to go back to and add to them/finish them when I thought before that I was done trying to finish them.

IDK if I have a GOAL. There are stories I want to finish but it's ultimately be easier on myself when I go long stretches without writing. I've done a little better this year with finishing stories without needing an event (in that I've finished TWO) but even if a story isn't finished in a certain amount of time, I'm trying to remind myself I can come back to it when I feel like it. I know setting arbitrary goals for myself doesn't work but I have had a couple instances of "okay, I'm sitting down and finishing this story" this year without an event so I'm hopeful I am getting back into the feeling of not needing an outside motivator. (Admittedly, having people to vent my frustrations to/bounce ideas off of has helped as well, as you well know.)

[garryowen]

Hope. And not chewing my paw off.

[beleghir]

Thanks for these, really nice opportunity to reflect on my writing practice <3

I write because there are stories that I really want to tell, or scenes that I keep imagining over and over, and they build up in my head until I finally put them on the page.

It's been much harder to create this year, but after some *very* rough patches, I've gotten back in touch with the joy and satisfaction of writing. When writing feels good, it's quite self-sustaining.

What keeps me coming back is knowing that I have more to say, and that sometimes the only way to figure out what that actually is, is to start writing.

I'd like to complete a novel-length project (fic or original), I'd like to write more original work, and I'd like to try poetry. I don't have any specific timelines attached to those goals, but they're nice to take out and ponder when I'm feeling especially creatively energized.