Drawing from the Well
As I said in yesterday’s blog, I didn’t expect to make any Drawing progress yesterday and I was right. There was just too much going on with real life. Today is a new day, though, and we’re getting back to the normal grind so let’s knock out some scenes and some queries, eh?
Filling the Well
1984: 81%
Bloodwitch: 17%
The Raven Boys: 18%
The one thing I WAS able to do yesterday was plow through the SNL videos in my YouTube playlist and get back to listening to The Raven Boys. It’s great. I’m so glad I dove into this and can’t wait to see where it goes. I see a twist coming, but I don’t have enough information yet to anticipate its precise form so I’m excited to see how it happens.
Polishing the Well
I promise this is the last time I’ll talk about this…this time. I’m exhausted this morning primarily from how much we did yesterday. You wouldn’t think that presenting at a bridal expo would be as stressful and tiring as it is, but I’m wiped out today. Another good night’s sleep and I should be right as rain.
Well Chat
Funneling and Channeling Negative Feelings
I chose this topic four days ago. I did not expect it to be as timely as it happens to be. I’m not going to go into the personal reasons for that, just know that I’m trying to practice what I’m about to preach.
The first approach is to take your aggravation head on. If it’s a program, work it until it works for you. If it’s a person, talk it out. If it’s a sport or a game, practice it. Whatever is getting you down, pour yourself into it and create the opportunity to move past the aggravation.
For those of us who need a more healthy outlet, as “attacking” aggravation can be just as aggressive as the aggravation itself, take a break. Literally walk away. If it’s a person, be polite about it by letting them know you need a minute to process or calm down before continuing the discussion. Oftentimes when we’re aggravated (different from angry, mind you), we don’t even know what we feel. Aggravation often comes coupled with other emotions like anger and sadness and when those emotions start piling up, it’s a job to untangle them in order to process them, so give yourself the time to do the work.
Now, if you take a break, that’s what it needs to be: a short, temporary break. It shouldn’t go on for days and DEFINITELY shouldn’t go on indefinitely. Then you’re just ignoring the problem and no problem ever ignored resolves itself. And don’t get confused, ignoring something, a.k.a. not making a choice is still making a choice. Problems don’t go away unless you make them go away by resolving them, so have some courage and face your problems.
All that being said, problems, even when resolved, can be followed by consequences. Dealing with those is typically a much more personal, much quieter journey. And that is where your writing comes in. Writing gives you a vehicle to bleed your feelings onto the page. Now, the obvious option here is personal, private journaling. You can explore your honest opinions in a way that does not invite judgment. Just beware of this becoming an echo chamber.
There is another way to channel those feelings, though. Find scenes that resonate with the feelings you’re having and then write them. Mentally embody the character you’re writing through or about and let your frustration out onto the page. Even if the storyline detours into your own life experience, let it. Don’t worry about redirecting until all your feelings are out. Once you get to a point where you feel better, you can excise the portions that are irrelevant to your story and then follow the line you’d started to complete the scene. This can be a powerful tool in writing because, believe it or not, readers can detect authenticity when they read.
Other than that, breathe, meditate, or use whichever healthy outlet you have to get the aggravation out of you so you can live your life and be happy. Happy Monday.
May the tide carry you to safer shores.
BSG