Writing As Therapy
Pencil and paper has always been my literary weapon of choice. If I’m stressed, I pick up a pencil and freewrite. Scribbling away my feelings for ten minutes is really good for my mental health.
When I’m finished, I read through what I’ve written. Sometimes it shows me a way out of my current problem, but finding solutions isn’t the point of the exercise. It’s the process which matters-and what happens next.
I tear up the sheet of paper, sprinkle it onto the compost heap, and mix it in well. That makes sure all my soul-baring becomes useful compost, rather than a life-long curse.
Woe Is Me
Earlier this century, the Misery Memoir genre created a tsunami of trauma-related writing. More recently, there’s been controversy over details within Raynor Winn’s The Salt Path and Harry Mountbatten-Windsor’s Spare. This blog isn’t about literary content, so the phrase ‘recollections may vary’ must cover any concerns raised by these books. I’m more concerned with the way the mental health of writers (and others), can suffer because of overexposure.
There is a world of difference between honesty, and over-sharing. Once something is published, whether in book form or as a social media post, its author has to assume it is out there forever.
Unfortunately, there are people who delight in sharing ancient and obscure tweets in order to stir up trouble.
A lie has always been able to travel round the world before the truth gets out of bed. It’s a million times worse now that everyone is online.
When I was at school, we were all convinced that that one of our teachers was – ahem – ‘dating’ a sixth-former. Luckily, that was before social media took off because it was, of course, only a rumour.
Think really hard before sharing something online. It’s never worth the stress of wondering whether it will come back to bite you.
A Conscious Choice
Make a conscious choice about how much of yourself you are willing to share, both in your work and for publicity purposes. Decide where your boundaries will be. When it comes to public appearances and promotions, never forget you are the talent. Don’t let yourself be pressured into doing, saying, or writing anything which might be used against you in the future.
Writing is the best job in the world. As I said here, it’s the work which is important. That is stressful enough. Writers are often shy and reticent. The added pressure of being under public scrutiny because of an unguarded comment made in print or online is the last thing they need.
A Case In Point
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird has been one of modern literature’s most famous books from the moment it was first published in 1960. Yet from its publication until her death in 2016, Lee gave hardly any interviews or public appearances. A very private person, she let her work speak for itself. This hasn’t stopped To Kill A Mockingbird selling well over 40 million copies.
Harper Lee made a conscious choice to restrict how much of herself she shared with the world. Be more like her, and less like shallow ‘celebrities’ who share every second of their lives online. Those who live by publicity are usually attacked by it in the end. Bleed talent, not ink or keystrokes.
It’s outstanding craft rather than direct suffering which creates memorable writing. Use boundaries to protect your wellbeing, and never share more than you can bear to see thrown back at you in spite. Modern media is cruel, and the vulnerable are the least able to defend themselves.
