June 28, 2010

According to Walking on Alligators: A Book of Meditations for Writers by Susan Shaughnessy, “Depression is surprisingly frequent in writers… ”

I think it shows up on Mondays more than any other day. It could be from a downward turn in your health, bad news about a child, a day job issue, a fight with your spouse, or your hormones have gone haywire. Or you could just be really tired.

Whatever the cause, the “blues” can derail your writing for the day–or week–if you let it.

Dealing with Depression

I used to spend so much time “dealing” with depression. Getting to the bottom of it, finding out what the experts said about my issue, praying for help, figuring out a “plan” to deal with the problem, and…not writing.

All that dealing took away from my writing, but I assumed there was no choice. After all, you can’t write when you’re depressed, can you? Won’t everything you write be horrible and dark and depressing?

Surprisingly not.

Grit and Determination?

Shaughnessy continues: “Writing goes on in spite of depression. Depression can be paralyzing; but if you can, by sheer discipline, fight your way to your regular writing place, you may be amazed by the quality of what you produce… Writing won’t banish depression. But depression doesn’t have to banish writing.”

Actually, for me, the writing often does banish depression–at least for the time you’re writing. But the important truth there is this: depression doesn’t have to banish writing.

Just Try It

So if you’re having a “blue Monday” today, get into your favorite writing position, and write anyway. Don’t waste the day. Put your problems on hold for an hour or two, and just write. You will probably be astounded in a few days at the fine quality of what you produced, even when depressed.

One caution: Don’t edit (especially, don’t discard) while depressed. Write instead. You’re not a good judge of your work when blue. Wait to edit until the sun comes out again.