All Good Things… Defeating The Dragons In Life. · 3:22pm Jul 12th, 2020
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12th July 2020
Hello, Chaps and Chapettes,
Back to doing something productive with this time and remembering these blogs are not a gimmick, they are a reason to keep me writing. They give me a bit of structure in what I do and encourage me to keep to a plan. What I am going to talk to you about today is why you should talk about the story, column, essay, or anything you are writing. Even something you are working on, whether it is art, music, or something else.
This was immensely helpful for me this week. I have a friend on Discord who I began talking to about the stories I write as well as many other things. We talked about the characters, the settings, the motives, and even an unhealthy dose of spoilers! What was great about this was that it gave me a renewed vigor and interest in what I was writing and it also straightened out some of the problems I had with the story, allowing me to fix problems that had been perplexing me for months, maybe even as far back as when I first started these stories.
This is immediately the advice I would give anyone struggling with any kind of block. If you cannot get past that wall in your story, or you do not know what to draw next, or you do not know how to solve a problem, then find someone willing to listen to you talk about it and do so. You should find someone you can trust, who will hopefully give you honest feedback and will also accept that this is something you are passionate about, so will not ruin it for you.
Specifically to creative writing, writers can worry about whether they are ruining a story for a friend who wants to read the thing or that they may be giving their baby away to someone who will misuse it. If you pick the right person, a good friend, and not a complete stranger, then this will not be an issue to contend with. They will accept that this is your story and look forward to it whatever guise it comes in. They will still be excited to read it and will not share it with the world. You just have to pick the right person to tell it to. Better yet, when they do come to read it, they’re likely to still find surprises, as some of the best writing comes during the editing phase.
This is equally true outside of writing. If you talk about drawings you have done, want to do, or admire from other artists, then it may well come to pass that inspiration strikes from that conversation. If you have a problem at work that you don’t know how to resolve, chewing the fat may at least give you a few ideas that you have not thought of on how to resolve it. Best of all, it might even bring to light some things to try later on that you haven’t considered as well.
Following on from this, I want to also add that talking out things is helpful beyond projects and creative aspects. At this point, I am going to discuss mental health too.
When any mental aspect of your life is affecting you, it’s hard to talk about it. Talking is as though you are admitting you have a problem and that it is defeating you. In your own mind, it suggests you are too weak and are letting down those that you love. It is also hard to find solutions on your own that do not feel like the darkest ways out are the best.
You are never weak to admit you need help. It is a strength to reach out to others because of how strongly and fiercely the creatures in our minds will try to keep us from doing that very thing. You are still fighting the good fight. You are just calling for backup to help you succeed and believe me, you will succeed. Even if others give you the nudge to the top, while you must not forget them, the triumph is yours alone and you must feel pride for that.
First, look above and see what I discussed when this topic was about writing and other projects. If you see, it starts with a realization that things are gloomy, such as feeling stuck, struggling with motivation, or having no options come to mind. However, those changes when you start discussing the problems, as solutions start to arise from other minds. This is not because those minds are clearer or smarter than yours, it is just because they are different, have had different experiences, so see things differently. The saying ‘two heads are better than one’ is no truer than at this point.
Second, know that by taking advice, you are still doing your thing. You are not having to credit someone else with your entire success because the talk or help is just five percent of the way to the end goal. It might have been a necessary five percent that impacted whether you continued or gave up, but it was still your strength that carried you to the end. Don’t forget them and remember to thank them, as I said before, but do not feel the victory is hollow either. The bulk of the journey and even the acceptance of the recommendations were all you.
Lastly, I’ll give you the words I gave that same friend which seemed to help them a lot.
“You've [...] had dragons in your life, physically and metaphorically. They've been dangerous, debilitating, and a damned nuisance to you in different ways. However, they do not rule you. They might scare you, anger you, and try to trip you. But they have no true power over you, as long as you remember that they [can be killed]. Every single dragon has a weakness and many times, the sword and shield are love and friendship. That is in abundance here. So do not fear dragons, my friends. Laugh at them and reach out to those who believe dragons do not exist.”
All good things,
Lots of hugs,
Scara x
Link to Luna Switched: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/174616/luna-switched
Link to Discord Server: https://discord.gg/9GEhvhf
