Powerful. Stressful. Successful. Fear-inducing. Merciless. Heart-wrenching. Never-ending. The list goes on and on. There are so many adjectives to describe what goes into the writing process. No one author can say they haven’t experienced these emotions or felt one of these ways while writing, be it a story, a novel, a poem, or even music.
Writing is more than just words on paper; writing is the act of putting one’s imagination and heart on the written page, preparing to share your thoughts and emotions with the world. There is always a little of oneself in the work, whether it be a phrase, a single word, a feeling, or a description. Writing means to be vulnerable.
This is why the writing process is so mind-numbing and coercive, wicked and enlightening, exciting and heart-breaking. We create new worlds, give birth to characters and ideas, and form new languages. We also manipulate emotions, kill off beloved figures, and generally piss people off. It’s these very things that make writing so personal and intimate for an author and why we struggle to develop thick skins when it comes to criticism.
For me, I’ve found the process to be exhilarating and stimulating while also being depressing and frustrating. I’ve had moments where I was on a hot streak, words flowing without end, and me riding that high until it sputtered out like a weak match. Other times, I’ve been stuck, desperate to figure out where to take the next scene and working hard to find something to inspire me. Reaching the end of a story is cathartic now that I’ve finished what I had to say, what I had to get out. It’s also thrilling as I anticipate readers diving into my work. Yet, there is an inevitable feeling of “what now?” that permeates through me.
What about you? What feelings does the writing process evoke for you? What does the writing process mean to you?
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Author Shanna Robillard 