Cathy Schieffelin's Blog - Posts Tagged "writing-motivation"
The Why
Four years ago when facing the terror of a breast cancer diagnosis, writing became a salve for me. I journaled, chronicling the many things I found overwhelming. Over the course of two years I wrote the equivalent of a memoir I called Grit and Grace. My first foray into a writer’s workshop was with essays selected from that narrative. I received so much support and care for the words I’d written, I kept going. Four years later I’m still writing and submitting new work. Those early pieces about chemo, losing my hair, and general unravelling… allowed me to examine my new reality, giving me the chance to heal and move through.
I wrote a lot about family. My history is complicated, and for many years, I didn’t know the half of it. Secrets and decaying bones were the legacy left to my brother and me. We were fortunate that our five half sisters allowed us to dive deeper into the musty trunks of our family closet. Deep dives require breath holding and patience. To move forward, sometimes you have to take steps back.
I encourage writers to explore what makes them want to write. For some, it’s an escape… to build new worlds where we have control. For others, it’s to stand up for something… to make a declaration. And for some, it’s so personal, no one else will see the words they write. Whatever the reason you write, just keep doing it. Let the process transform you… even when you uncover unexpected hard truths, as I did when I wrote Ungrateful and Unthankful.
Once I wrote I’m not grateful and I’m not thankful right now on the page, I could sift through the muck of those feelings. But first I had to own those feelings. There are no right and no wrong feelings. You feel what you feel.
Because you write them down, does not mean you have to share them with another living soul. They’re for you. Sometimes we need to reckon with those stark realities and we can’t do that if we keep them festering in dark corners.
So keep writing. Keep exploring. For examples of my work, please visit www.wildflowerspress.com
Thank you. Cathy
I wrote a lot about family. My history is complicated, and for many years, I didn’t know the half of it. Secrets and decaying bones were the legacy left to my brother and me. We were fortunate that our five half sisters allowed us to dive deeper into the musty trunks of our family closet. Deep dives require breath holding and patience. To move forward, sometimes you have to take steps back.
I encourage writers to explore what makes them want to write. For some, it’s an escape… to build new worlds where we have control. For others, it’s to stand up for something… to make a declaration. And for some, it’s so personal, no one else will see the words they write. Whatever the reason you write, just keep doing it. Let the process transform you… even when you uncover unexpected hard truths, as I did when I wrote Ungrateful and Unthankful.
Once I wrote I’m not grateful and I’m not thankful right now on the page, I could sift through the muck of those feelings. But first I had to own those feelings. There are no right and no wrong feelings. You feel what you feel.
Because you write them down, does not mean you have to share them with another living soul. They’re for you. Sometimes we need to reckon with those stark realities and we can’t do that if we keep them festering in dark corners.
So keep writing. Keep exploring. For examples of my work, please visit www.wildflowerspress.com
Thank you. Cathy
