Positivity in Writing

There is no shortage of ideas and inspiration that spring to life on every page. Every typed word is always followed by an idea. This idea usually evolves to become the main theme of the piece you are writing for. Perhaps its a way to bridge your points together. Wow does this sound like I’m presenting a business seminar on how to boost sales with the power of ‘putting imagination into letters.’ Except no free donuts here or comfortable seats, well, no seats in general.

This is admittedly more of a soapbox I wanted to dive into. I mostly just want to talk about how important your current mood can be when it comes to writing. Yes, the article is titled ‘Positivity in Writing’, however positivity is not something that can just be turned on. Therefore your writing is going to be massively improved by just thinking positively or by pretending. This sort of process requires a very methodical and comprehensive breakthrough of what makes you tick as a writer and as a person.

For example if it was a rainy day and you hated rain, that would outright affect your mood. Although that doesn’t mean you should stop writing. It means you should naturally work through the weather because that could have the right positive impact on your writing. Maybe there’s a scene involving a train that for some mysterious reason has skirted off a rail and is diving into a lake. Then you figure out how the characters are going to get out of this situation — if they even make it.
Water is arising at a fast pace, the doors are probably jammed, and furthermore there may be other people who are stuck in a specific spot on this sinking train. It sounds like I’m pitching a cheap straight-to-DVD sequel to some 90’s action film, but a rainy day could give that extra ‘boost’ you need to make the scene work.

Writing can be a beneficial process that not only improves your skill in the field, but as a person. Deducting why this character feels off with their dialogue. Perhaps you noticed how great the chemistry was between two feuding factions/people on a page you wrote on a frustrating day. Solving these issues and being self aware of your own personal issues is part of any process in whatever job field. The difference with writing is that it becomes more apparent the more you do it obviously.
Scenery will start to change, characters act slightly different, and chapters will have completely different tonal structures.

My first book was basically me learning my own anxieties and why they occurred. I was able to slowly self-diagnose why I felt so high strung on certain things that didn’t matter at that point in the rough draft. The answer was simple; I felt that I needed to write at a fast pace. Not just with typing, but with thoughts and conveying dialogue. I was forcing myself to go at a fast pace as opposed to forming a tempo of my own.

A tempo has more than one meaning, it is the rate/speed at which you conduct an activity. This doesn’t mean, “Oh my god, I have to do this fast because how am I going to get anywhere if I can’t do a single page in less than thirty minutes!” If anything a fast tempo can prevent your writing style from evolving. Cooking for example isn’t about how fast you can grill a burger — it’s about the timing and the effort in the way you do it. Going at your own pace and not caring about getting it done, but just knowing that the product will be done on your own terms.

That to me is what I think of when it comes to positivity in writing. It’s not about just putting in dragons with rainbow scales who soar over a beautiful peak with bright glowing red flowers (although I do like the imagery). Behavior, learning from mistakes, and self analyzing your behavior are the main objectives that will lead to a more positive writing experience. It’s a habit that will take time and a steep learning curve. Issues will persist in life, but getting there will award you with an excellent writing experience.