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@the-inkspiller

Did someone say cynical? I’d never do that. Like ever. *coughs* I mingle sarcasm and cynicism to the extent I can’t keep them separate. Being an optimistic cynic would describe me pretty well, with expecting good in life and yet not actually expecting anything to ever go right. Don’t ask me how those go together. I don’t know.

But I get what you’re saying. I think lots of writers go through times like that, and it’s not even that they sugar coat it so much as they don’t talk about it. Sometimes because they don’t have people to talk to. Sometimes from some sense of not wanting to inconvenience others or drag them down. (realizes that could be counted as criticizing this thread, which it’s. 😛 It’s great we can talk about this and that you posted. There are just lots of introverts who don’t know if they can/should talk about it).

For me, I share some struggles on my blog after I’ve gone through them. Generally though, when I’m going through a rough time, I keep my own council, talk with my best friend and get strength from her, pray, etc. and then show a brave face and meet the world head-on, so to say. It’s not so much that the writers on forums have everything put together. They just tend to use the forum for more light-hearted communication and take care of personal struggles elsewhere for a wide range of reasons.

I enjoy stories with deep themes and ‘darkness’ as well. Not for the sake of the darkness, but because it’s in the despare and the pain and sorrow that the power of the light and hope and shine true. A light against a sunny day isn’t going to be noticed. A well-worked theme in a darker story is going to be much more obvious.

As far as writing/life in general, working on focus might help. I tend to do this every few months. I’m excited about writing. I have all kinds of things I want to do. I drive myself (I like schedules and deadlines and that sort of thing) and then it all kinda falls apart and I have to refocus again (I’m working on keeping a steady focus constantly, but it’s a day by day struggle, not something I can do once and then be done with.)

Basically, I take a step back from my work and ask myself what the point is. Why am I doing this? What is the point of my life (you know, those light, fluffy questions)? I’m supposed to be glorifying God. In my case, I know the main tool I will use to do that is writing. And so I can kinda build up my focus/mindset reminding myself why I write. Why it’s important, what is more important than writing, etc.

Because, quite frankly, writing is exausting. And lonely. With good friends who write, its easier. But one still spends months writing and editing and rewriting and even if they see progress no one else sees the final results until publication and they wonder what you are doing with your life. It’s very easy to for one’s focus to slip into ‘I need to get this done by this time’ and ‘this needs to be perfect’ etc. and forget the reason we’re doing this. Also, if we are doing it for God’s glory, then we can rely on Him for his help.

And… I’m rambling. I’m sorry. But with your current WIP, I think all writing can be meaningful, esp. all Christian writing. It doesn’t have to have a salvation message (normally it shouldn’t) to have a theme that will stir people even if they don’t know why, or to point people to something higher and something more than they can see around them. Most likely, you already have elements of that in your story already and just need to find them and pull them out for development.