By: Rebecca Irvine
English novelist Graham Greene once said, "Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those, who do not write, compose, or paint can manage to escape the madness, the melancholia, the panic fear, which is inherent in a human condition."
I have been reading a lot lately to escape; reading is good for that. So is writing, and I have been able to do more of that, too. A few weeks ago I had an unexpected change in my work schedule--not bad, but it is taking some getting used to. And I am incredibly grateful for the therapy reading and writing provides to help get through life's changes.
Personally, I highly recommend a good hour of both reading and writing on a daily basis, especially when the rough patches come about.
Good advice. I took no time for reading or writing for the years of child rearing.
ReplyDeleteBig mistake, water under the bridge, spilled milk and all that.
I'm making it up for it now. It is never too late to repent and begin anew.
Well said! Thanks
ReplyDeleteSometimes I feel a bit guilty because I do read so much and here you've made me feel better about it.
ReplyDeleteDecades ago, when I got serious about writing, I started reading what other LDS writers were writing and found it very unsatisfying. I made a choice then not to read any other LDS writers until I found my own voice. Now that I have several novels under my belt (though still unpublished) I've been reading LDS writers like crazy. There are a lot more now and I love hearing their voices. They make me feel there's a place for my voice to be heard, but even if I never get published, I have confidence that I did, and continue to do, my best to enlarge the talent that was given to me. One thing I have discovered about my writing voice is that I can't write escape literature. Maybe that will come later but right now I write challenging, character- and idea-driven stories you can sink your teeth into, stories that shine a light into dark corners. We all seek to become more perfect, but being human we all have dark corners in our souls – and don't we long for illumination and affirmation that we'll be able to overcome? I write to cleanse myself of the dark corners and perhaps my writing can become that affirmation in someone else's life; that's a relationship that needs to be nurtured and respected.
ReplyDeleteReading and writing have been my two favoreite coping strategies the majority of my life.
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