Writing Doesn’t Have To Be Deep
Writing Doesn't Have To Be Deep
Writing doesn’t have to be deep is my first statement for this series: Ranting Rakestraw. Clever right? Well, I thought so.
You’ve heard it before. Hemingway said it in the most pretentious, mind melting, frustrating way.
“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”
Oh JEEZ. Take a seat Hemingway. The melodrama is competing with my gag reflex.
It’s this constant bombardment of deepness that’s been raking my gears. Guess what? Not all writing has to come from the depths of your soul. It doesn’t have to make you feel grimy and sad and depressed when you’re done. It also doesn’t have to make you feel amazed and lighter, whole, and refreshed.
Sometimes writing just is. It’s doesn’t help or harm. It just is.
As a kid, I felt like I was broken because after a diary session, I didn’t feel restored and like I’d had a catharsis. I felt WORSE. I felt even more frustrated and angry and sad. I felt more broken putting the words to the page because it was giving my emotions a platform. They were on the page sitting there with this new found power.
But you know what? I could write a story that was funny. Light hearted. I could bring a smile to my face (sometimes others if I got lucky). Made myself giggle - mostly out of joy, but sometimes out of pity. But hey I’ll take laughter from anywhere at this point.
And then I would feel better because of my writing. Because someone laughed at it. Because I gave them, and myself, a few seconds out of the day that they felt a little spark of happiness.
And you guessed it . . . Not all of my writing is deep from my soul. I didn’t have to scrap the bottom of my heart for it and bleed myself all over my keyboard. I sought out joy, and laughter, and light.
“Oh God, Kate, get off your freaking soap box.”
Fine. FINE. But the idea of the tortured artist is so freaking passé and overdone.
If you’re writing is goofy and fun and you have larger than life characters — that’s amazing. The world needs more of that. Not every character has to be broken and riddled with depression and pain and horror. And if they are, they can still be funny. Dark humor is *chef’s kiss.*
So no matter what story you want to write. A dark, depressing one. A light, funny one. Or my favorite, a mix of both, then follow your gut!
Just know, you don’t have to sacrifice your mental health for your story. That tortured artist bit? People aren’t looking at that with eyes of endearment. It’s pity pure and simple.
If people have to suffer to make art— chances are they suck anyways. Art is healing and when it hurts, people can feel that. It’s like sharing the pain. No good bro.
If you’re already suffering, let the art heal you. And if you’re healing, don’t let it hurt you.
Aight. I’m outtie 3000. Stay saucy.