What to do....

[destinie21]

I'm writing a book and I find that the contents are constantly depressing me. However it's important to me that I finish not only because of the achievement but because I think what I'm writing needs to be read and I wouldn't do myself the disservice of stopping because it's too damn hard. Anyway if you find yourself depressed because of a piece of work what do you do?

 

[kellycummings]

I'm writing a book and I find that the contents are constantly depressing me. However it's important to me that I finish not only because of the achievement but because I think what I'm writing needs to be read and I wouldn't do myself the disservice of stopping because it's too damn hard. Anyway if you find yourself depressed because of a piece of work what do you do?

Stephen King scared himself so much with Pet Sematary that he put it away for a long time before finishing it. I think that if you find yourself getting down because of it, stop for a while and then go back.

Boy, I'm just a posting machine tonight. I really do need a hobby. LOL

 

[Just_John1]

But...

I thought WE were your hobby Kelly.

I usually get depressed when I write but find the writing process cathartic. I have been trying to figure out if I get depressed when I write or if I write because I'm depressed... Either way... I write in waves that seem to follow a pattern. Is the book a piece of fiction or is it a recanting of fact?

Small doses is probably the best answer IMHO.

JJ1

 

[Colleen Thomas]

If the writing is depressing you go do something else. If the material is depressing then grab a glass of wine or put on some happy music, Wiring about depressing sujects can drag your mood down if you aren't careful.

-Colly

 

[raphy]

Why are you getting depressed, Mrs D? Is it due to some sort of writer's block? Are you having trouble convince the story to leave your head and enter the page/screen?

My only advice would be to take a step back and then go back to it at a later date. I've found that forcing stories doesn't tend to work. I think I just got lucky with NaNo that it actually decided that it wanted to be written. I'd've been screwed otherwise (and not in a good way)

 

[destinie21]

The topic of the book I'm writing is Black nationalism as it relates to America. But actually it's more than that as the real topic of the book is self discovery and having a sense of humble pride in who you are whilst respecting others and letting them have the same.
In any case the day to day interaction with people when viewed through the eyes of this writer is depressing. There are young people out there who are ready to be so fucking militant and yet they can't even spell oppression let alone define it. They don't know what's going on and Forget picking up a newspaper to find out what's up and how to change it.

ready to bear arms and be soldiers for a fight they know nothing about. as if a nine could fix everything and make the Whitehouse less baroque

 

[CharleyH]

I'm writing a book and I find that the contents are constantly depressing me. However it's important to me that I finish not only because of the achievement but because I think what I'm writing needs to be read and I wouldn't do myself the disservice of stopping because it's too damn hard. Anyway if you find yourself depressed because of a piece of work what do you do?

LOL- not kidding - I listen to music that reminds me of something - over and over and OVER again, until its done . . . I am Stanislovsky-esque.

Perhaps why I have so many god damn cds?

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Des,

If it needs to be written, then it needs to be written. The depression is necessary for you to feel the healing effects of the completed thought. Use it to drive you in your quest to awaken and educate your reader. Let it be what it is and add power to your message. It's necessary to suffer that in order to convey the pain, desperation and sadness; So that others may find the want and will to change things so that the depressing subject matter no longer exists.

You are strong and for that, you will bear the burden of putting into words what makes your heart ache. My PM box always has room in it for you when you find you're depressed and I want to be at the top of the mailing list when you finish. Press on, baby gurl...you'll find resolve in 'THE END'.

~lucky

 

[damppanties]

...if you find yourself depressed because of a piece of work what do you do?

I've not been depressed while writing a story yet. I've been depressed while writing a poem. What I do is, I finish it, and then fantasize. About something nice, sexy or interesting. Usually helps.

One thing to remember Des, is that when your emotions are affected by something you're writing, that is likely to be powerful writing. Don't stop. It will be good.

 

[MaxSebastian]

How does your story end? While it may start off depressing, surely you're not going to leave it at that? I don't want to get in the way of what you've planned to write, but if I was writing a story covering such subject matter, I'd look for a way out.

The depressing stuff is important. But equally important to me would be to find the story of someone looking to beat the system, come out on top despite the hardships.

Then you can lead to a more uplifting ending, perhaps. And writing towards it, you'd have that uplifting message in your head to counteract the depressing message. Which might help.

One thing to try is to start writing a new section of the book, somewhere else - perhaps towards the end, where it might be more uplifting. Then come back to the gruelling stuff later. Perhaps having the ending already established will help you to later come back and write the dark stuff.

 

[gauchecritic]

Making the assumption that it is a story with a central character here's what I would do.

Unfortunately this will make the book twice as long to write.

Be someone else. (I'm also assuming first person.)

Take a different character's viewpoint and write from there. If that works then you have a much deeper outline to follow. If it works from that POV then include that POV. If that POV moves the story far too much then this is where the outline and extra work comes in.

The other POV has now given you greater detail to use in the re-write of the original first person.

Gauche

 

[oggbashan]

The topic of the book I'm writing is Black nationalism as it relates to America. But actually it's more than that as the real topic of the book is self discovery and having a sense of humble pride in who you are whilst respecting others and letting them have the same.
In any case the day to day interaction with people when viewed through the eyes of this writer is depressing. There are young people out there who are ready to be so fucking militant and yet they can't even spell oppression let alone define it. They don't know what's going on and Forget picking up a newspaper to find out what's up and how to change it.

What you are saying applies to anyone who feels that the world should be a better place. The faults you see as obvious are a matter of indifference to the majority.

You have a whole pantheon of people who fought before you yet were plagued by self-doubt. A modern US example is Martin Luther King. A sense of depression about the indifference and shallowness of modern youth is recorded in the Old Testament and other ancient writings. T'was ever thus - yet each successive generation does produce idealists.

Ancient Og

 

[NoJo]

Des, I think "painful" might be a better word for what you're describing than "depressing", if I understand you right.