Romancing the Genres: Therapy

Writing is hard. I hear that a lot from people who don't write and people who have published several books.

I don't find writing hard. Writing has always been my outlet for inner struggles, entertainment, and finding my way. Since learning how to read, words have opened doors to me through books I've read and stories I've written. It's true when they say every story or book that has been written has a piece of the writer in it. You can't write and not put your ideas and struggles into the story.

That is why writing is therapy for me. Whether I'm writing a funny character who makes me laugh or a dark subject that many wouldn't touch, it all has a way of healing and making me see things in a new light.

There were some years, when I was first married, we had a baby, and my husband would be gone for days at a time truck driving that I thought I'd go crazy. I read a lot, but I also fantasized all kinds of horrible things that had happened to him if he didn't call when he said he'd call. I did the same thing when my parents would call and say they were coming to visit. If they were late, I had them crashing the car or being hit by a train. All unfounded worries.

But the day I picked up a notebook and started writing fictional stories, those thoughts and fantasies ceased.

Writing my fictional stories gives my over active imagination an outlet and I can live a less stress filled life. My imagination, even when I am not physically able to write due to company, traveling, or illness, still conjures up characters and story ideas. I make enough time to jot down those thoughts to have when I am looking for another story or character.

Writing the story, as I said earlier, comes easy for me. It's the revisions, editing, publishing, and marketing that cause me grief.

But I'll put up with all of those to be able to write and let the demons that used to haunt me go free.