Wednesday, July 7, 2021

IWSG & Stress Breaks

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.


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Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!  

July 7 question - What would make you quit writing?

Hmm. It would have to be something serious in my personal life.

When dementia slammed into our family a few years back, we had several months where I maybe slept 30-35 hours a week. Didn't write much for those months. Took my heart several more to heal enough to have the zip needed to produce any words. Even then, it took more than 18 months before I was back writing with any sort of regularity.

Writing about dementia helped me come to terms with the disease and its effects on our life. As that healing process moved along, I was eventually able to turn my attention back to the Bloo Moose romantic suspense stories.

Life has a way of throwing curve balls my way, but I can't imagine a time when I wouldn't want the release & enjoyment that writing gives me. Even if I never published again, I think I would continue to create stories.

I write because I enjoy it. It's my "me" time.

How about you? Do you have to change things up when life gets stressful? Is writing your "me" time, too?


45 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

You wrote to cope with your situation and that's all you needed.

Pat Garcia said...

Hi,
Your book about dementia is awesome. I cried and I laughed. You're so right that life has a way of throwing us curve balls that we don't expect. I call it getting caught on my blindside, but we still keep writing. There we find comfort.
Wishing you all the best.

Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange

Yolanda Renée said...

You've done a beautiful job with the curve balls and the writing!

Rachna Chhabria said...

Hi Jemi, more power to your pen. Stay safe and keep writing!

M.J. Fifield said...

When life throws curveballs, I adjust as best as I can. And sometimes—a lot of times—it means putting writing on the back burner. I don't like, of course, but we do what we need to do.

You've done—and are doing—an amazing job.

Jemi Fraser said...

It really was!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Pat! Your words mean a lot!
We do keep writing and we will!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks so much, Renée!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Rachna - same to you!

Jemi Fraser said...

So true - life takes precedence. Then we come back to our words.
Thanks so much - you made my day!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I've always written to cope with life, so that was probably the best thing you could do in writing about your situation.

Chemist Ken said...

The kind of stress you went through would cause me to stop writing. It would sap my creativity, and without that, my writing would come to a grinding halt. I'm glad you were able to eventually overcome it and enjoy writing again.

Michelle Wallace said...

If you enjoy writing can you really quit? I don’t think so. You may have phases, where you don’t write much; but eventually you will find your way back to the blank page.
And I'm talking about writing for the sheer pleasure of writing, and possibly publishing something along the way.
Then there's writing to pay the bills - that's a different story.

Chrys Fey said...

Stress makes it difficult for me to write, but I always come back to writing. It’s an old friend. :)

Olga Godim said...

Your words explain precisely how I feel: "Even if I never published again, I think I would continue to create stories." So true!

Jemi Fraser said...

Real life can hit hard and it takes a long while to get through some bits of it. Take your time to heal!

Jemi Fraser said...

I agree - it's amazingly helpful!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Ken. It did take a while - but I kept recording snippets of incidents. I didn't realize at the time I was planning the book :)

Jemi Fraser said...

I agree, Michelle!
I will always write - but may never pay many bills from it!

Jemi Fraser said...

Me too - and it's a good friend too!

Jemi Fraser said...

The stories are the joy. The rest is just peripheral

Elephant's Child said...

You not only catch your curve balls you turn them into things of joy - for everyone.
Thank you. Muchly.

emaginette said...

I guess it is me time and a way to process what life throws at me. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

Jenni said...

That's so cool that you were able to turn your difficult experience into writing. I find that writing about difficult situations (often indirectly through fiction) is very healing. But I can't do that until I've had some distance.

Sarah Foster said...

It sounds like you found a way to deal with a tough situation by writing about it.

Carol Kilgore said...

I am the same.

cleemckenzie said...

Sometimes the worst things that happen to us provide a generous amount of writing material. It seems that's what happened to you, Jemi. Sorry that this disease wreaked havoc in your family, but glad you turned the experience into a book to share with others.

Mason Canyon said...

I'm glad you worked with the curve balls instead of letting them keep you down.

Jemi Fraser said...

What a lovely, lovely thing. to say - thanks, Sue!!

Jemi Fraser said...

Sounds like we handle things the same way!

Jemi Fraser said...

Distance is important for sure! I ended up only being able to write in chunks of 15 minutes or so for a while

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Sarah - it sure helped!

Jemi Fraser said...

Not surprising!

Jemi Fraser said...

Life doesn't let anyone escape unscathed!
Thanks, Lee!

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks Mason - you gotta keep moving forward!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Stress is a massive dampener to the creative spark for writing, but it never makes us quit altogether. We just need extended breaks from time to time.

Jemi Fraser said...

We do indeed!

Nick Wilford said...

I'm sorry you had to deal with that. But, writing is a great way to process and get through those trials. It's about connection and I'm sure that book helps others going through the same thing too.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Nick. I hope so!

Anonymous said...

Dancing with Dementia was a great resource for me when I was taking care of my husband 2019-20. I didn't do much writing during that time. Now I'm writing again. Publication is kind of an after thought for me at this stage. It doesn't define me in terms of being a writer.

Jemi Fraser said...

I'm so glad the book was helpful for you! It's such a difficult disease to cope with.
Yay for writing again - sending hugs your way!

mshatch said...

I can't imagine not writing. I've taken breaks, but I have too many half baked ideas that beg attention. Like waaay too many lol.

Jemi Fraser said...

LOL! I'm right there with you, Marcy!!!

Toi Thomas said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I can only imagine coming through what you have. I'm with you. I may take a break, but I would never stop writing.

Jemi Fraser said...

Thanks, Toi. We all do the best we can!
I'm glad we're on the same page there!