Writing at the End of the World: A Reflection
When we're struggling, that's exactly when we need to dig deep and make our art count.
A quick thought exercise for you this month, if the summer so far hasn't boiled away any remaining thoughts in your head.
I want you to think about the last time you felt the world was ending, even though it kept spinning like nothing happened.
We're all human, so I bet you can come up with at least... 12 different moments in your life when everything changed and you didn't know how to move forward.
For me, they range from a friendship of 17 years blowing up in my face to losing a job with barely 2 weeks’ notice. For you, they might range from the sudden death of a loved one or a family secret that rears its ugly head and tests your relationships like never before.
And sometimes it's the most depressing global news story you’ve ever heard after a lifetime of unprecedented events. At some point you need to sit down with a thousand-yard stare and ask yourself in frustration, “Is it possible for anything to get better?”
The End of the World? In This Economy?
Now I'm a cheerful person, but I also know that we can't Good Vibes™️ our way into better days. Bills pile up, the news gets depressing, and we're left wondering if our future will actually be as good as we want it to be.
So why talk about such a heavy subject? And in a newsletter with a rainbow logo, nonetheless?
Because the world is heavy, and our craft as writers helps make it feel lighter.
What Is The End But Another Beginning?
Your books can help someone make sense of themselves and the world. They can entertain, inform, and provide comfort in a way that's unique to your genius as a storyteller. It’s the moments when we're struggling that we need to dig deep and make our art truly count.
The weird thing about tragedy (personal or global) is that the story keeps going after it happens. In fact, tragedy is often when our stories truly begin, where we rebuild and reexamine the problems that created them in the first place.
Some years ago, a wonderful little book with a gorgeous black and pink cover was published. It’s called Never Say You Can’t Survive, a collection of essays by Charlie Jane Anders about “how to use creative writing to survive the worst things history can throw at you.”
She started writing these essays in 2020, but the fun part is she had this plan long before COVID-19 lockdowns shuttered the world. Anders reflects on how her personal experiences have fueled her desire for escapism, and how in turn she built it into a thriving literary career.
The key lessons from the book are to learn the basics and teach yourself to trust your creative instincts in turn. Losing sight of your creative passion can feel like a curse that lasts an eternity, but in my experience, such adjustments can inject your art with a new level of clarity and desperation.
So let this remind you to never give up on yourself or your goals. The world needs your books. The world needs your voice.
The world needs you.
Take Action
When life gets complicated, it’s time to simplify, reassess your surroundings, and make a plan to move forward. In this case, any action that brings you back to your manuscript is the right path forward. Doesn’t matter if it’s been 5 days or 5 years… Your time is now.
So take care of yourself, and take care of everyone around you.
Help keep this beautiful blue marble spinning. 🌍