No, you're definitely not the only one feeling this way. As much as writing and reading serves as an escape to me, I also feel guilty or ignorant if I don't write or read about everything that's going on. But that just increases my anxiety.
On a more selfish level, I can't help but wonder if my manuscripts about mid-life coming of age women will continue to be relevant or if it's too small of a storyline to snag an agent or publisher's attention. And I worry that the subjects I want to write freelance articles about -- history, hidden gem tourist attractions, etc -- are also fluffy things that won't exist or no one will care about soon because this world is having such an existential crisis. Sigh.
I hear you. I think if you approach your writing as an act of resistance--like you say, the cacophony is designed to prevent you from making art--then you'll have an easier time of it. The inner critic is enough of a deterrent for me so I can't let the state of the world way on me as equally!
Perfectly understandable, but seems unfair and unnecessary to put writing or other activities on hold because the sky is falling. When has it not been falling? Just post about your trip to a museum, beach, bookstore, restaurant, etc. without having the burden of the world's problems overshadow and mute your creativity. Your friends know you care. You're allowed to have fun and write your heart out even though it's a lot of doom and gloom out there. Let's go, Melissa!
I feel this way but i just do my regular writing when I sit down. I don't want all this awful stuff to get in the way of what i want to do. i feel like letting it prevent you from working is lettig the terrorists win.
I give you permission to just write without the obligation of commentary because I know you’re paying attention and feeling the weight of the world too. I do. And I hope we all give it to each other. xoxo
I feel this. 100%. And I'm not writing, though my work is writing-adjacent (editing/proofreading). I find too, that in my work, I am making mistakes. I will remind myself to slow down, read more carefully and yet I will read over the same error or misspelling three times, each time, my brain not processing the information in front of me. It's frustrating and overwhelming and I wonder if my internal brain function is just breaking down, crashing, with the weight of everything that is thrown at us each day. How do we not feel all the things, and in feeling all the things, how do we have anything left to give to our jobs, our families, our communities? I am definitely struggling, too.
I feel this too. The Horrors are just so THERE that it feels negligent not to mention them, but at the same time, anyone who cares about The Horrors already that The Horrors are happening. It's like throat clearing, but also important, but also pointless. Anyway, hard yes, I struggle with this one too.
No, you're definitely not the only one feeling this way. As much as writing and reading serves as an escape to me, I also feel guilty or ignorant if I don't write or read about everything that's going on. But that just increases my anxiety.
On a more selfish level, I can't help but wonder if my manuscripts about mid-life coming of age women will continue to be relevant or if it's too small of a storyline to snag an agent or publisher's attention. And I worry that the subjects I want to write freelance articles about -- history, hidden gem tourist attractions, etc -- are also fluffy things that won't exist or no one will care about soon because this world is having such an existential crisis. Sigh.
I hear you. I think if you approach your writing as an act of resistance--like you say, the cacophony is designed to prevent you from making art--then you'll have an easier time of it. The inner critic is enough of a deterrent for me so I can't let the state of the world way on me as equally!
Perfectly understandable, but seems unfair and unnecessary to put writing or other activities on hold because the sky is falling. When has it not been falling? Just post about your trip to a museum, beach, bookstore, restaurant, etc. without having the burden of the world's problems overshadow and mute your creativity. Your friends know you care. You're allowed to have fun and write your heart out even though it's a lot of doom and gloom out there. Let's go, Melissa!
I feel this way but i just do my regular writing when I sit down. I don't want all this awful stuff to get in the way of what i want to do. i feel like letting it prevent you from working is lettig the terrorists win.
I give you permission to just write without the obligation of commentary because I know you’re paying attention and feeling the weight of the world too. I do. And I hope we all give it to each other. xoxo
I feel this. 100%. And I'm not writing, though my work is writing-adjacent (editing/proofreading). I find too, that in my work, I am making mistakes. I will remind myself to slow down, read more carefully and yet I will read over the same error or misspelling three times, each time, my brain not processing the information in front of me. It's frustrating and overwhelming and I wonder if my internal brain function is just breaking down, crashing, with the weight of everything that is thrown at us each day. How do we not feel all the things, and in feeling all the things, how do we have anything left to give to our jobs, our families, our communities? I am definitely struggling, too.
I feel this too. The Horrors are just so THERE that it feels negligent not to mention them, but at the same time, anyone who cares about The Horrors already that The Horrors are happening. It's like throat clearing, but also important, but also pointless. Anyway, hard yes, I struggle with this one too.