Writing Through Hard Times

"Ink is the great cure for all human ills."

~ C.S. Lewis

There are two camps in which you can pitch your tent. The ol' Time is the Great Elixer Campground. Or the green grassy area that C.S. Lewis proposes.

I'm going with Lewis. While it's true that time does heal all hurts, there is much to be said about writing in the midst of pain--the "stub your toe" kind or the "your heart's in a blender" type. Writing is a soothing balm and smells a whole lot better than Mentholatum (hey, it's cold season, so just in case you did want to order some, I'm an all service blogger).

Before you start complaining, "I can't write! I can barely spell my last name!" Calm down. You don't have to be an author to write through hard times. Writing isn't only penning a novel. There are other valid ways of writing through hard times. Here's a few...

Journaling
Just thought I'd get this one out of the way right up front. It's the most common form of writing when one is in anguish. But just because your eighth grade teacher forced you to journal day in and day out until you wanted to beat her over the head with the dang thing, don't let a bad experience keep you from trying it again. Journaling doesn't have to be bondage. In fact, if you're doing it right, it's the complete opposite. Scribble down words when your emotions are roiling. They don't even have to be legible or grammatically correct. It's the act of purging out your angst via pen and paper that makes you feel better, not the quality of the prose.

Blogging
Start a blog. You can have more than one...they're free! You're not doing this to create a platform or to sell yourself in any way. It's just a place to spew your thoughts. Why go public? Because as exquisite and personal as you think your pain is, I guarantee you there is someone else out there in cyberland that is going through the same thing. Your honesty as you work through hard times can be an encouragement to someone else. But remember how I started this section: the purpose of blogging your pain isn't to garner an audience. That's just a byproduct. The real bonus of having a blog is that it magically makes you more accountable to keep writing. It feels official, so you're more likely to do it.

Mailing
Okay, so that's a super lame-oh sub-head. Cut me some slack. I've only had one cup of java so far. Anyhoo, what I'm talking about here is mailing cards to others. Write a note of encouragement. Peruse the Hallmark cards and find one that says something that someone else needs to hear. Take the focus off yourself and your pain and redirect your thoughts outward, even when you don't feel like it. Surprisingly, this little exercise will make you feel better.

Those are just a few samples. As for me, well, I am an author. My inky great cure is to simply kill off a character. You can usually tell what kind of mood I'm in by the manner of death. Sick and twisted? You bet...but it's a whole lot cheaper than psychoanalysis.