It seems that everytime I write I can only write sad or angry poetry. If I write stories I can only write things that have some kind of tragedy in them. Does anyone else have this problem? No matter how hard I try anything happy sounds well... crappy. Its very frustrating because I'd like to write my little boys a book but, I'm stumped. I definatly have writers block. Happy stories just aren't easy for me. I guess because I'm not an angry person and when I am angry I write it out instead of more aggressive ways. If you've had this problem how did you change it? I'm dying to finish a happy story and I know I'm just stressing out over it which makes it worse, lol. Eryn
In poetry and prose there should be a healthy mix of tension, there should be positive and negative because that is life, that is realistic. The way I would say to get over it would be to force yourself to write, preferably in a journal when you are happy, and your ramblngs will eventually turn into poetry and stories. And when you are working on something make yourself look at it all around, search for the things you are not seeing. Nothing is all good, or all bad, search for the in between and mix the two extremes for something that is whole, complete, and easier to relate to. I understand what you mean though, there was a time when I could only write when I was upset, and what happened is that I got into a horribly miserable situation and I needed to make myself happy so I made myself write happy things, and of course I couldn't stop writing the bad things. Now I write whatever I can. You have to make yourself look at every side of life, be more observant. There is tension in everything in every situation b/t the good and bad. Focus on the whole picture. I hope this helps.
I suppose you could say that you're working out tensions, and that when you've written these tensions into resolution, something in you is resolved as well. So writing is an excellent therapy as well as a medium for artistic expression....
I guess tragedies would kind of suck for your kids, I mean you dont want them to get bummed about life at such an early age [that's got to be the worst wink smiley I've seen] However, if that is what you seem to always be writing why not explore it deeper or use it to examine things that are important to you, maybe try and find some kind of redemption or resolution in it. cheers, mkc
whenever i write music it comes off negative, although i can ocasionally come out with a happy tune, its usually a negative or pessimistic spin. i call it the john lennon syndrome. haha i love digging up ass old threads.
Stories require something negative to provide tension and motive, but you might try a happy ending. readers like a happy ending.