I wish you well, Peg. You don't know me, but I feel for you and identify with how you're feeling in my own way. I struggle with depression and have a lot of RL issues at the moment that mean I have trouble seeing anything clearly, for starters. Writing fiction helped me hugely in the past. Lately, though, I'm having trouble writing or even doing my bread-earning translation and editing because the words simply won't come apart from the occasional, lacklustre burst. I also worry that my obsession with fiction and wanting so desperately to write is messing up the the rest of my life and that of those around me - but you don't want my whining here. Just that it's a hard balance, somehow, to write, lose yourself in your characters, your craft, to try and pass on a message, and to live a 'normal' existence at the same time (if that doesn't seem too corny).
A lot of people have offered warm, helpful advice to you so I just second that wholeheartedly. What I'd also say is I hope you don't give up. Your writing touches people, uplifts them, speaks to them. It's something to be proud of, and I hope that pride and that knowledge will carry you through the tunnel and take you somewhere where the wanting to write and the ability join up again. Because the ability and talent are there, as others have said, but what's missing is some spark, somewhere, that means words spill out as you want them to.
I've said - and written about - stories being consumer items and still think that many are... *for the reader* and often even the writer once they're done. But to the storyteller who invests herself in her craft, and for readers who love their message, they're far, far more than that.
People may treasure your writing, but some - thank goodness - will also treasure the person behind it whether you're still writing or not, and whether this is permanent or not. You might feel you're letting *yourself* down, but don't give up hope - ever - that inspiration will come sailing back into your life. Please. Because in my own experience, and empty as the 'barrel of words' can seem, it always does, even if it takes its own sweet time.
Not that this is consolation if you feel 'dry' right now and want to write and speak out to more people, but maybe, just maybe, it's something small to hold onto. Good luck.
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A lot of people have offered warm, helpful advice to you so I just second that wholeheartedly. What I'd also say is I hope you don't give up. Your writing touches people, uplifts them, speaks to them. It's something to be proud of, and I hope that pride and that knowledge will carry you through the tunnel and take you somewhere where the wanting to write and the ability join up again. Because the ability and talent are there, as others have said, but what's missing is some spark, somewhere, that means words spill out as you want them to.
I've said - and written about - stories being consumer items and still think that many are... *for the reader* and often even the writer once they're done. But to the storyteller who invests herself in her craft, and for readers who love their message, they're far, far more than that.
People may treasure your writing, but some - thank goodness - will also treasure the person behind it whether you're still writing or not, and whether this is permanent or not. You might feel you're letting *yourself* down, but don't give up hope - ever - that inspiration will come sailing back into your life. Please. Because in my own experience, and empty as the 'barrel of words' can seem, it always does, even if it takes its own sweet time.
Not that this is consolation if you feel 'dry' right now and want to write and speak out to more people, but maybe, just maybe, it's something small to hold onto. Good luck.