Crying While Writing: anyone else do this?
Star of Bethlehem in the meadowCrying while writing. Crying while editing. And even crying while thinking about writing, as the scenes, both happy and sad, play out in my mind. It’s no wonder I’m sometimes dehydrated!
So, am I the only one?
Tell me I’m not.
I can’t be.
Emotive writing is, just that. Springing from emotion. Causing of emotions. If the writer isn’t fully immersed, how can the reader ever be?
Rhododendron flowers on the pink benchSo. I sob on.
Ox Eye DaisyThe latest line, from SISTERS, to set me off was: In the midst of great loss, the newness of a baby helps.
Floods.
Breathlessness.
I’m welling up just looking at the line now, overcome by all that it references.
EditingThis emotional aspect of writing is one of the many reasons good, thorough, even brutal, editing is so important. We, or at least I, need someone less attached, someone who did not write the words and scenes, to look at the work objectively and say: this could be better; this is not clear; were you under the influence of one of your stronger prescription drugs when you wrote this? Because in our, or my, invested blubbering state, we might not see it. We might not know.
The book is on its way back for edit three soon (GWL did spoil me with their three editing process, and I won’t do less now), so all is well there.
It is possible that illness is making me worse, crying-wise. I feel a bit pathetic and vulnerable. But that will pass. I will get stronger again. And you’ll get nice sensible and scenic posts about castles and standing stones 
But for now, I recover – from both medical conditions and writing – in the garden. Among the flowers. With a candle.
This post was originally published in 2022. The book mentioned above is out now, detailed below.
Sisters at the Edge of the World
When Morragh speaks to another person for the very first time, she has no idea that he is an invader in her land…
Set in 1st century Scotland, SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. The book features a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance…
“Ethereal and spellbinding…” Historical Novel Society
Read the article Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.
Newsletter and Free StoryYou will receive a free short story in e-book form when you sign up for my occasional, more-intimate-than-the-blog newsletter (the story can be read in a browser too).
The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…
Author Page and Signed CopiesIf you would like to hear about new books and special offers, you can follow my Amazon author page. Signed copies are available from my kofi shop.
About Page
See my About Page here
Writer’s Tip JarThe post Crying While Writing: anyone else do this? appeared first on Ailish Sinclair.
